Powell

Last week we went to Lake Powell for what might be the last time for the season... tear! I could say it again and again... I love that place! And we got a new addition to our lake toys, a kayak! Takael and I have wanted one for awhile and so Rick surprised us with one this trip. So fun! We were especially lazy this trip but got all the fun and sun that anyone could want! Then on Monday and Tuesday, T.J. had meetings in Vegas so I got to hang out with my family. I even got to see Michelle, who I haven't seen since before we moved. It was so good to see her and her cute little boys even if it was for only a couple of hours. Melanie, we thought about coming to see you but we didn't have much time. I wish we could have but sometimes it's the thought that counts, right? My mom and I played Rummikub until her eyes started to look blood shot and then called it a night. She won pretty much every game, so I'm demanding a rematch, I just don't know when. My dad and I went for a hike Tuesday morning for about 3 hours, got lost a couple of times and brought home enough sand in our shoes that we could have nearly created our own little sand box. Then we went to Vegas and ate at the Claim Jumper where he physically ate himself sick, although I have to admit it was my fault since I made us get appetizers and desserts, sorry dad! What can I say, it was a great trip to close out the summer with!

...In what? Competitive eating?

So if you are like most of the world, you are absolutely glued to the T.V. watching the Olympics, I am definitely no exception. These Olympians are absolutely incredible. I cry during just about every event because these people are just so inspiring! So I was watching an interview from one of our female triathloners (I know that's not a word but you get it right?) and she was saying that she competed in her first triathlon just 4 years ago and now she is competing in the Olympics! Seriously... crazy right? So I said to T.J. "I want to be an Olympian" knowing that this was a ridiculous comment but thinking of how cool it would be to compete for your country and inspire so many people, etc, etc,etc. His reply was, "In what? Competitive eating?" Don't feel bad, if all went as planned, he still has a bruise on his arm. Now, it's no secret, this girl can eat but I just don't need to be harassed about it! So sadly to say, I won't ever be an Olympian but I will always watch with complete respect and admiration for all of these athletes and I'll definitely be sad when the games are all over. Good thing football starts soon (pre-season doesn't count, it sucks!) and even better... it's fantasy football time people! Waaaa Whoooo!

Okay... now Diego Garcia

I could not attach this slide show to the last post to save my life but here it is. I spent my 2 year anniversary in Diego Garcia on an AFE tour with the Jazz which got me thinking about it, so I thought I would post of few pics from the trip. We met some of the coolest people and had the absolute time of our lives. It's an experiene I will never forget!

Sun Valley, 5th Year Anni & Diego Garcia

This past weekend we went to Sun Valley with the Harper clan and it was perfect because Saturday just so happened to be our 5th anniversary. We were Newport on our 1st Anniversary, I was on an AFE (similar to USO) tour with the Jazz on our 2nd anniversary (that's were Diego Garcia fits into this post), we can't remember what we did on our 3rd anniversary (must have been really special!) and I had practice on our 4th anniversary. So it was about time we did something fun to celebrate 5 darn near perfect years! We had a blast! T.J. and Rick had meetings on Friday and half a day on Saturday so us girls got to play while they worked. I'm pretty sure we got the better end of the deal. On Friday we hit the spa (of course), hung out by the pool, went sight seeing and met up with the guys for dinner. Saturday, you name it - we did it! We started the day off by renting one speed cruiser bikes - not trail bikes, road bikes, or mountain bikes but cruisers which sounded like a great idea at first. We rode down to Ketchum, yes I said down - can you see were this is going?, pet some Clydesdale's along the way and then realized that we had to get our sorry butts back up to Sun Valley on a our sweet little one speed cruisers. Quite the physical task! But we made it and were even able to ride around a little more once we got there. Then we all took the ski lift to the top of the mountain were there is a little restaurant and had lunch. It was a beautiful ride! Then the brave ones of the group; Debbie, Takael and I attempted to ice skate for awhile. That was short lived but fun. We went to an excellent Steak house for dinner, even though I'm a vegetarian I'm a sucker for everything that goes along with steak. We ended the day with a healthy dose of competition with a couple rounds of bowling. It was a great weekend!
Cruisin'!

The Fam


The Ice Skaters
The Party Poopers
5th Year Annie
STRIKE!

Grandpa Moon

Last weekend I went to see one of my favorite people in the whole world, my grandpa Moon. Not only did I get to see my grandpa but my mom and Craig picked me up from the airport and went good old Malad with me. Every morning I would wake up and go running, my mom would meet me with the 4 wheeler and we would go and look for arrowheads. We always go looking and usually find a lot of flint (fragments of arrowheads) but you rarely find an arrowhead. My mom found the cutest little arrowhead I've ever seen, seriously so tiny and fat that I'm not sure what the Indians would have killed with it. She gave it to me because she had given my sister the last one, thanks mom! Of course we ate a lot of good food, helped my grandpa drive in all the equipment he had out in the hay lands (I wasn't much help since I can't drive stick - I know, how pathetic! So i just followed on the 4-wheeler every time). We sat in the swing and talked every night (one of my favorite all time things to do), and I actually got both my mom and my aunt Jeri to play games with me! Fun fun fun!!!

On the 24th we went to the Ogden Rodeo. It's been a long time since I've been to a rodeo and I guess I just expected the stands to be full of rugged cowboys but instead it was packed full of some serious white trash! I don't know what attracts this type of people to the rodeo?!? Maybe it was just because it was in Ogden, I don't know! I think there may have been two cowboys in the crowd and my grandpa was one of them, and the most handsome one might I add. It might have been smart to check what time the stupid thing started so that we didn't have to sit in the blazing heat for 2 1/2 hours. We wanted to be early but by the time it started we were about ready to leave. My mom played grandma to every kid around us giving them all candy (except for the obnoxious little kids in back of us that kneed us in the back every ten seconds, they didn't get any). Do you think she misses having her grand kids around??? The lady next to my grandpa, too bad she didn't make the pic, was totally flirting with him all night and my mom was getting pissed, funny! She kept asking me "Is that lady irritating grandpa?" meaning, is she still flirting with him. What can I say, he's pretty darn good lookin'!

I'm sure if you zoom in on this one you will see sweat literally dripping down our faces.

Finally the rodeo starts with skydivers and the last one carried in the flag.

Between the rodeo and the fireworks they had dirt bikers doing tricks, again quite the white trash sport. If we they would have had a little roller durby we would have covered all our white trash bases.

On Sunday we got to go to my cousin Megan's mission farewell. It was so good to see everyone! Sometimes you don't realize how much you miss your family until you get to see them all again. My cousin Rick and his wife Mindy had their baby and so after the farewell we got to stop by the hospital and see little Tirk (isn't that a cute name?). Sorry, no pictures of the little guy.

It was so fun! The time just goes by way too fast! I love my grandpa so much and he will always be one of the most influential people in my life! Hopefully I'll make it back up there soon!