one of five

With Michael's backpacking skills and my photoshop skills, we won a WSCC photo contest! 1 of 5 winners. (Congrats to you too Jeff!)


This isn't really photoshopped all that much--it was pretty dang awesome to begin with....

The theme was vacation/school break/weekend trips or something to that effect. You want to go vacation here? Well, it's in Wyoming (so pretty much in the middle of nowhere), on route to Gannett Peak. Oh, it's only like a 30 mile (?) hike, some of it above the tree line (which means no camp fire and oober windy...see any trees in that picture?), and you need an ice pick and cramp-ons (I hate that word) even if it is the end of summer.

I obviously opted out on this trip. I don't carry my body weight on my back up and down several mountains to then summit the tallest peak in Wyoming. I had to be crazy to even think about going on this trip, but good thing Michael was crazy enough to go and get a winning picture, plus this one that didn't make the final cut.


Here are the rest of the losers... =)


Periodic Springs, WY

Sundance, UT
Oswald West, OR

for the less observant

If you didn't realize what the full "effect" was in the last post--a little one has decided to grace us with it's presence (hence, Thing 3). We'll officially meet face to face April 20, 2010, or thereabouts. I'm 17 weeks, and we'll let you know in 2 weeks whether it's a boy or girl. Cast your guess on the right!

p.s. thanks for all the congrats!

happy halloween!

These are our awesome pumpkins! The one on the left I carved a week ago and is slowly starting to curl, mold, and slouch in the back. It was Jack Skellington with his boney hands up going "AH ha ha ha!"--you know, like in the movie. I bought 2 thinking Michael would carve one and I would carve one. No such luck. I carved both--just more fun for me!
Anyway, we were Thing 1 and Thing 2 from Dr. Seuss's Cat in the Hat. Yet another hand painted costume. We're cheap, what can I say? Our hair is blue...too bad you can't tell. And you might have to click on the picture to get the full "effect".
Oh, the background is our curtain with fish still on it from the fish pond game at our ward activity. Thanks Teresa for helping me with the fish!

Happy Halloween!

3 things thursday: 3 yummy AllRecipes

These are a few of the recipes I've tried from AllRecipes.com that I love. This website has practically every recipe you're looking for. Even strange Asian recipes like mochi, and it was awesome!

Perfect Sesame Chicken
It calls for different kinds of soy sauce--I used what I had. A little time consuming, but way cheaper than take-out!


No-Noodle Zucchini Lasagna
I thought when I was making this that Michael would never eat it. He's not one for the veggies, but he liked it and even ate all the left overs! I would highly recommend salting and draining the zucchini and maybe even drying them a little with paper towels--they let out a lot of water!

Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake
Oh my goodness. I haven't actually made this one myself--had it at Bethany's. All I can say is... YUMMM!
What's your favorite recipe(s)?

life just can't get any better

Yes, that is the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile. And yes, that is me in front of it. It was right here in Portland, Oregon! {squeal!}

p.s. Sorry for the crappy quality. My camera phone was my only means of capturing this insanely awesome moment. And taking a picture of my cell phone was the only way to get this picture from my phone to you.

p.p.s. Did you know that the dashboard is mini hotdogs! Cool huh!

Break between 4th and 5th quarter

We visited Star Valley so Michael could visit his family and change the clutch in his car--it truly pays to have a handy husband! We haven't ever paid for maintenance on either of our cars!

While we were there we went fishing on the Snake twice. First trip--windy and far too many stops. I like floating and fishing, not stopping a billion times. Plus, Michael and I both bought licenses and caught nothing (except tiny guys and a nasty white fish, all of which we through back).

Second trip--very nice and not windy. We actually had to throw back fish, not because they were tiny, but because we had our quota per license--and we only got one license instead of two. Oh the irony...

Then, the day after our nice float....

It snowed.

And a shirt froze solid on the front lawn. And Michael forgot that he was wearing two hats.

help, please

I have been working on designing a baby book for my etsy store, which I have highly neglected for the last couple of months--yikes! I have had several requests/suggestions to make them and would like to finally get this done.

I have most of the pages laid out, but I would like your input since I have obviously never filled one of these things out! Child-ful and child-free people alike, what have been your favorite baby book pages, what would you think would be good that wasn't in yours, or what good ideas have you seen? Any ideas welcome!