Anniversary Celebrations- Part 1

This year was my turn to plan our anniversary. I looked and thought for weeks about what we should do and finally, with the help of a co-worker, I came up with a plan. I decided that I'd surprised Jarad and take him camping one more time before the fall/winter came. So I planned when and how I'd get the supplies ready without him knowing and found a campground. Friday the 12th, I sent him away in the morning then started packing up my car with all our camping gear. I didn't get in all in the morning so ended coming home on my lunch break to finish the packing. After work, I hit the store for food and then told Jar to be blindfolded when I got home.

After loading him in the car, I tried to take crazy ways to the canyon and luckily after a while Jar lost track of where we were and actually fell asleep. When we arrived at the Spruces campground in Big Cottonwood canyon, I had a note for the nice lady in the shack letting her know not to blow the surprise by talking to loud. She gave us a site and we drove up to it and then I told Jar he could take off his blindfold. He was very surprised! He thought we were heading into the mountains but had no idea that we would be staying the night.


Jar blindfolded and with my little note.


Yeah for camping!!!

We got everything set up and ended up driving back down the canyon to the 7-11 for a disposable camera because I had thought of everything but charging my battery! After returning we started a fire and got going on our dinner. We had steak tin-foil dinners and then peach cobbler for dessert along with some roasted starbursts...mmm!!!
Although warm by the fire, in our tent during the night it became very, very cold! But we stuck it out and snuggled up to get as much warmth as possible! Breakfast of eggs and sausage and hot cocoa got us warmed up in the morning and after getting warm and full we packed up.


Our very cold feet in the tent!


My cute husband taking down the tent.

A few miles more up the canyon is Silver Lake. Jar and I headed up there to do some fishing before heading home. It was really beautiful and we saw so many fish jumping. And although we had fun fixing our poles and spending time together, Jar was the only one who caught anything.


Me & Jar getting ready to fish!


Silver Lake


Just fishing.


Jar & his prize little fish!

Happy Anniversary

Our Wedding day- September 16th, 2006.

I love you Jarad! Happy 2nd Anniversary! Thanks for being a wonderful, supportive and understanding husband. I am so grateful for you and for the knowledge I have that we can be together forever!

*** more photo's of the surprises to come!***

Utah State Fair

Monday evening, for FHE, we went to the Utah State Fair with some of our friends. It only cost $6 to get in and that included the free Chris Cagle (YEAH COUNTRY!!!) concert. After entering...we browsed and got our grandstand tickets then decided it was best to divide and conquer to get some grub and meet back at the grandstand for the concert. Jar & I found this awesome picture opportunity and couldn't pass it up!


Aren't we cute?!!

We continued on our hunt for fair food and got the following: hot dog, corn dog, elephant ear, water and Snowie!

Jar enjoying his snowie.

We then sat to eat and enjoy the concert.

Our pals, Jason & Amy & cute little Emi.


Jar& I at the concert.

After the concert was over, we decided to see some animals. There were all awake and some even eating.

They had a few pack goats...I thought their HUGE horns were cool.


The sheep were alright...baby sheep are much cuter.


Pigs..eatin'. They had an enormous pig (see Amy & Jason's blog) and even had some piglets.

Just before seeing the animals we continued to browse and Jar got some cotton candy and roasted almonds for us all to share. after the animals, I spotted this place...and was NOT enticed!

Yes, that says FRIED PB&J, Snickers, Twinkies & Oreos! SICK! Who eats that stuff?!


Our evening of fun was coming to a close and on our way out, we passed this sweet, all butter sculpture! I was enthralled! Isn't it cool???!


Just before leaving we had to get a picture of the crew- me & Jar, Amy & Jason with Emi sleepin' in the stroller, and Cole & Maura. Fun times!!!


Jar & I really enjoyed our night at the State Fair!

Football & Cheesecake- Does it get any better?!?!

Saturday night, Jar & I went to the Utes game. They played UNLV. Lucky for us, our buddy Cole is still a student and got us cheap tickets to go with him and his cute wife, Maura. On the way to the game, we hit up Red Robin and ate their yummy, endless fries! (Can I tell you how much I love them!!) The game was awesome and of course, we won 42-21. I screamed and cheered and even remembered all the words to the fight song! At the end of the game there were fireworks celebrating Rice-Eccles Stadium being open for ten years, which was pretty cool. Earlier in the game, Cole stated that if the Utes won we should go get dessert at the Cheesecake Factory. So, according to the score...we were off after the fireworks ended! Neither Jar nor I had been to the new one here in SLC, so it was fun to go. I had almost forgotten how amazing their cheesecake is! MMMMMM....so yummy!


Me & Jar at the game.


Ah....a sea of red...gotta love it!


Part way through the game, Jar let me wear his hat and so I sported it gangsta' style for a while.


Our feet...I hope you know who's is who's!


mmmmmm....cheesecake!


Cole & Maura at the Cheesecake Factory

Out with the Old, In with the New!

A few weeks ago, Jarad & I re-signed a lease here at our apartment. In doing, they asked us what "upgrade" we wanted for our apartment and we requested a new fridge. It was finally delivered and they wanted to take our old fridge at the same time. Minor detail of the new fridge not being cold and having lots of food in the old fridge we didn't want to go bad. So, we worked it out and they came back 3 days later for the old one(yes, we had two in our apt for 3 days and then the old one sat on the deck for a day!). You'd think they would have thought of that! Oh well...I must say we are very pleased with our lovely new appliance!


Old fridge... old yucky, yellow color, leaked, cracked, teeter from side to side...and didn't have much in the way of shelves in either the fridge nor the freezer.


NEW fridge!! Bright and shiny white, clean, very stable & leak free...


and tons of shelving options in both the fridge and freezer! LOVE IT!!!

Camping in MY house!

Ok, not literally my house, but my forest! Check it out!! Betcha didn't know I had my own national forest! Or that it had so many uses!

Friday evening, Jarad & I along with our pals Cole & Maura, headed up past Kamas, UT toward Duschene to the Iron Mine campsite. After a wee drive, we arrived and set up camp. After doing so we were famished and decided on making a fire and roasted some dinner. The hotdogs were delicious and we also enjoyed mallows and roasted starbursts and banana boats! We ended the evening with some fun chats and then hit the sack.



Saturday AM we woke up, ate some oatmeal and hot cocoa/cider and then drove up the mountain to the Grandview Trailhead to get in some hiking. We hit the trail and went all the way to Grand-Daddy lake, which ended up being about 6 miles roundtrip. The hike was fun and we took some fun pics at the lake.


Me & Jar- loving the outdoors!


Grand-Daddy lake- and a little one next to it- Hades Lake.


Jarad & I and Cole & Maura- we've made it to the top!


All of the hiker's feet...dirty and sore.


Me being ubber tuff!


Aren't his muscles so big?!


After completing the hike, we were driving home and decided we needed more firewood to really have an awesome fire. So the boys came up with the brilliant idea of collecting some wood on the drive back to camp from the trailhead. This is the fatty log that they stuck in the back of my car along with many other pieces of wood. After getting back to camp, we ate some lunch, played some games and just chilled for a while. Maura & I snuck a nap and the boys started making dinner without us! Thank you Jarad & Cole!

After our nap, we made our tin-foil dinners...mmmmmm...so good! And then for dessert...


Dutch oven apple cobbler!!! It just doesn't get any better than dessert from the dutch oven!

After another wonderfully large fire, many roasted mallows and starbursts and lots of chatting and laughing...we hit the sack again. However, we were awoken in the night by a mountaineous rain. By the time we woke up most of the rain had past, but we didn't want to get dumped on again in the middle of making breakfast. So, we pulled the tarp out from under our tent and put it up as a make-shift shelter.


Jar & Cole ...nice and dry under the tarp.


Cole & Maura


Me & Jar- We love camping!!!

Ticklin' the Ivories

Just after the 4th of July, my Mom called me one day and said that I had a piano! (Trust me I was just as surprised!)

Long story short, a lady in her ward was all but giving it away and so they jumped on it. Then called and told me to figure out a way for it to get to Salt Lake from Colorado. Well, after alot of trying and working at it, I wasn't getting very far in figure out a way to transport it...so my great Dad (and great Mom for giving up her husband for a few days and for letting it be stored at her house till it could make the trip!) decided to drive it out here for me. It was suppose to be a surprise, but my sister, Lindsey spilled the beans and told me a few days early...so I guess the surprise just happened a little sooner than Dad intended. :)

So, Thursday, my Dad drove over from Colorado by himself and we moved it in! Jar & I had cleared a spot in our living room and some good friends came to help with the man-power needed in moving it. It was so great to see my Dad and also wonderful to get my very own piano!!!

Thanks so much Dad for being so selfless! I know it was a long drive to bring the piano over just to turn around and have to drive home the next day. I can't tell you how grateful I am to finally have my own piano. You've always been so giving and wonderful and I am so lucky to have such an amazing Dad! Someday I hope I can be as giving and selfless as you! I LOVE YOU DAD!!!


My Daddy & Me- he's seriously the greatest Dad ever!!!


Our new (well, new to us!) piano!

Hike #2- Rattlesnake Gulch

Yesterday, Jar and I went on another hike out of the handy guide we borrowed from our friends. It was so nice and relaxing and gave us a few hours to chat about everything from childhood stories to politics. We also decided that we should get our own hiking guide to the Wasatch Mountains...so after the hike, we hit up R.E.I. and got a sweet book about hiking in the area. We love hiking!


Our starting point...Grandeur Peak Trail. I'm excited to hike!


The trail was amazing and had spots where you could see up the canyon as well as spots where you could look out over the Salt Lake valley.


Our feet enjoying the view and a rest.


There were so many trails that connected along the way...we took Rattlesnake Gulch

Movie in the Park

Friday night, Jarad & I went to a movie in the park. We packed up some treats, some blankets, our camping chairs and headed to Cottonwood Park. We got a great spot and set up and tried to contain our excitement..okay, well mostly I was excited! They were showing Grease...which is a great movie! It was such a fun experience and Jar & I plan to go to a few more movies in the park before it turns cold. So if anyone wants to join us, let us know!


The sweet & huge screen they projected the movie on.


Me & Jar ready & waiting!


Gotta love this movie..it's a classic!


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