My Knees and Why They Hurt

So let's all just acknowledge last week's post didn't happen and move on.  If it's any consolation, I can't remember what I would have even talked about in it. All I remember from that week is work and "Arrested Development." Yeah. Moving on.
This past Monday, Darrell and I took off around noon and headed to Zion National Park to meet up with my parents. We camped there for two nights, and got home Wednesday night/Thursday morning around 2:00 am. It was awesome. Seriously. Well, besides the late night drive home.
We'd planned this trip awhile back and wanted to hike the Narrows from the top down and the Subway. Originally we wanted to have a day in between and do the Subway first, but because of how the availability for the passes turned out the plan turned into Tuesday-Narrows & Wednesday-Subway.
We had checklists and coordination phone calls, got all packed up, and Darrell and I even got to try out our new (and admittedly ridiculously large) tent! Darrell's sister Mindy came and had dinner at our campsite with us Monday night (and we snuck off to find some weirdly delicious peanut butter-chocolate-habanero creme brulee -yes, you read that right), and then we crashed for the night so we would be ready for the drive to the trail head at 5:30 am. Got up, left a car at the bottom and took the other on the drive to the trail head, and started hiking a little before 7:30.

Now I know pretty much everyone we mentioned doing this hike to thought we were crazy, but it was 89% great. It started on a dirt trail, met up with the river, started crossing back and forth, hit the beginning of the narrows, the river got about knee high though we got as far as chest deep once or twice, and was 16 miles or so, but it was downriver.

 We'd gotten neoprene socks and used the accompanying shoes since we didn't want to risk blisters for the intended hike on the Subway the next day so our feet stayed mostly dry and we were ridiculously grateful for good walking sticks. The water wasn't too cold and the scenery was beautiful. That being said, I wish we saw more of it since the natural inclination was to watch our feet so we didn't slip on the rocks. It was quite the leg workout and we all did okay until about Big Springs (about 11 miles down and the highest anyone coming from the bottom is supposed to hike). Then I started dragging. Turns out walking on rocks for 16 miles hurts your feet and knees, and once your socks get some water weight in them the hip flexors start having to work harder than normal. Thus we began being passed a lot. Pretty sure the last mile on the paved River Walk trail consisted of Darrell dragging me and me walking like a little chimpanzee at his side. A ninety year old with a cane could have passed me. Only a few blisters came out of it, but the next morning we woke up and decided embarking on a 9 hour hike that included some technical parts wasn't too wise. The shuttle driver asked us if we'd done the Narrows from top down when we got on though, so I think we weren't too atypical. Unfortunately there weren't enough cancellations for us to do the Subway the following day instead so we did a nice easy stroll to the Emerald Pools and have been planning a return trip ever since. I did get to talk to two different French couples, one of which took our picture for us at the top Emerald Pool. Love Zion!

Basically, the trip was great, the hike was intense but good, and Darrell and I have decided we want to at least do the 10 mile round trip to Big Springs from the bottom and back to see the parts we missed because we were too focused on just keeping moving at the time.

And where did we find ourselves less than a week later aka today? Biking 27.82 miles. My knees hurt again, but it feels sooo good. Also since getting back home, we had dinner with Darrell's dad, other sister and her fiance, went to a RLS game, saw Picketts last week and Jorgensens this week, and saw the new Star Trek. And more "Arrested Development".... Gotta catch up, right? The new season already rolled out and there isn't much time before the spoilers become inevitable.
We're pretty stoked summer is here and I even convinced Darrell that we should buy a $2 kite at Walgreens today. I'm sure that will be in a future post.
On a gastronomic note, I'm happy peaches, berries, watermelon, cherries, etc are out and about again. Between that and a sale on salmon, we've been eating good!
Til next week!
P.s. When I asked Darrell if there was anything else he wanted me to add in here, he said to mention fixing a weed whacker with help from the internet. He fixes stuff a lot. :) I'm okay with that.

In Loving Memory

I wanted to write a post for my grandmother Julia Rawlins who passed away yesterday at the age of 90.  It is a bitter sweet moment to see someone you love pass away when you know it is the best thing for her to do.  Her body was like that old car that many of us have owned at one point in time.  The paint has faded, the bumper is falling off, rust has put holes in the body, and the tires are going bald.  Yet for some reason, the engine and transmission keep going and you just stare at it in wonder and if it will last 200 thousand...300 thousand miles?   But the moment finally came for her to be reunited with her husband who had gone on to the other world 19 long years before, and we can't do anything but stand back and cheer for a woman who has been an example of faith, love, and charity to her family and those she cared for. 

I spoke with Mindy, my sister, shortly after she passed and we both agreed that we are grateful for the memories that we have of her.  Her smile and laughter can be heard in our minds and her love is felt in our hearts. 

Enjoy your next mission Grandma!  We will miss you terribly but are grateful for your legacy and memory. 

Weddings and a Celebrity Siting!

This week we had some great people get hitched together for time and all eternity.  Friday night we went to a reception in Sandy for one of Darrell's friends from college.  Congratulation to Cassie and Collin.  While we were there, the unpredictable Utah weather hit, and left the crowd staring into the parking lot as golden sunbeams lit up a flash flood type rain storm.  It was beautiful as was the reception and the glowing couple. 

Saturday was an even bigger day for weddings.  Jeff Parker, who is buddies with Darrell from their trip to eastern Europe, sealed the deal with his wife Kailey in the Salt Lake Temple.  We were privileged enough to
be invited to the sealing at 8:20 in the morning.  The couple was ecstatic as they made their commitments to one another and the Lord and were glowing in the fresh morning light. 

BAM!!!!! YOU DID IT BOY!  CONGRATS ON GETTING IT DONE!!!!!

For any one who was outside yesterday in the Wasatch Front area of Utah, you know how beautiful of a day it was for a wedding.  So too did the Temple Square grounds crew.  I think that's why they wanted to rip up all of the spring flowers out side the temple so all the pictures would have that touch of brown that every bride wants. 

I don't think that really bothered Jeff and Kailey.  Lets have one more look shall we. 

The day was not over from there, after was their luncheon followed by a reception later that evening.  Our plan was to stick around the SLC area run some errands for mothers day then go on a hike or something like that.  But after one of our stops took us all the way back to Sandy we decided to just continue the rest of the way back to Orem for some much needed rest, only to drive back up to Kaysville for the reception.  It felt like a lot of unnecessary driving.  But never ever underestimate the value of a good nap.  #wellworthit

Back to the Reception!

So, this is getting sort of wordy for a quick congratulations to our friends but we've got to tell you who we saw at the reception.  Al Gore!!!!

Ok so maybe it's not really Al Gore but it definitely is Jeff's dad, David.   But I made you look twice didn't I.  Especially when you compare it to this picture. 

Anyway, Jeff and Kailey drove off in the sunset to begin their new life and we left the reception with one of the Corn Hole boards that was provided for guest to play with.  He he, I want to yell THROW IT IN YOUR CORN HOLE whenever I play that game.  Kaela gives me funny looks when I do. 

Other than weddings this week, we are getting our preps ready for hiking the Subway and Narrow next week with the Jorgensens.  More on this later.

Leaving you with pictures of us.  Have a good week!!!

Graduated!!!

So I finally walked after graduating in December. Utah State only does the ceremony once a year so it's a combination of fall, spring and summer grads. This actually ended up being better for me because I got to walk with some good friends instead with the like ten kids who graduated in December. The only atypical thing about the day besides already having a diploma was swapping my tassel out between ceremonies because I'd been given a '13 and didn't feel cool about not having my deserved '12.
My parents weren't able to make it down but I got to see grandparents and Darrell's whole family, including Mindy driving up from St George. It was pretty cool dressing in that moo-moo and cap, and walking across the stage in the Spectrum. I must admit Darrell was the best part. That boy got up early to go mountain biking in time to be back and not miss a minute of even the procession across campus. He was a champ and came running down to take pictures when I walked and even of me just siting there during commencement. It was a long, good day and I felt like the luckiest and most loved grad there. Most of the pictures are in cameras not in our house so I'm sorry there aren't more.
...and then my phone was being lame and not uploading pictures so you'll have to check the Facebook/twitter ones Darrell and I have posted because I'm too tired to try harder tonight.
Sorry for the lame post but hey, a post is a post!