Just waiting...

Waiting for snow that is. This has to be a record or something, Thanksgiving and not even a trace of snow. What's the deal? I've been a good girl, don't I deserve a little powder? Guess I shouldn't get into it too much, it's not like I get to buy a season pass to Snowbird this year, that's right, cry a tear for me. I am skiing at Park City this year. Gotta go where the pocket book dictates.

Speaking of pocket book, man are we bad a keeping a budget. We set it and even post it in visible places, I have even gone to the extreme of having cash envelopes, but we have no self control. I see a good deal for something we or I have needed and I have to get it, that deal may never come a long again. I usually wait until I find a deal to buy things, so when I find that crazy deal, I have to snatch it up. And Ben eats out like a mad man, its hard to eat a peanut butter and honey sandwich when everyone else is getting Wendy's. Ah, well...if anyone has advice on how to conquer the over-budget spendings, let us know.

Happy Thanksgiving to all and "I hope you Gobble, gobble, gobble until you wobble, wobble, wobble." (Quote curtousey of Jenn Carpenter)

The floating island strikes again...

This is one of the many trips up to Chalk Creek. We camped and woke up to fishing...as you can see we did a lot of fishing. Ben loves it, I don't get that though, fishing (from my experience) is about as exciting as watching snails argue. Anyway, dislodging and flipping floating islands is much more fun. I got quite the sunburn from this day, I know its hard to believe with my year round golden tan. The other couple with us is Danny and Josalyn and that's little Wesley in her belly. Jake and Becca also came on this trip but they are already mommy's and daddy's so they stayed on shore.

No new photos to post, wish there were, but dropped my camera in some sand. A little word from the experienced...don't do that! The camera won't work later.

We just got back from Moab. What at trip. Ben finally biked with me and he kicked butt! I hate how he is good at everything he does in a fraction of the time than any other human. Not only is he a natural, but he's hot when he bikes too. We rode the all famous slick rock trail, its a lot more fun then I remember it. We hooked up with Theresa and Kyle down there and hiked delicate arch then ate at La Hacienda, mmmm, them's good eatin'. We had a blast and then hooked up with Mike and Mieken to camp down in Cane Creek? (Can't remember the name) After the extra hour of sleep we hiked Amasa Back and headed home.

Moab has a way of refreshing the mind, body and soal. I love it down there and don't go enough. I love biking as well and can't wait to go down there next summer with the new Santa Cruz or Ellsworth bike (we can all dream right?) that I will somehow come up with the money to purchase.

Anyway, it was a great weekend. I love Ben and am very grateful he decided to marry me despite my crazy family. (hehe)

I am up late tonight cause my thoughts about work woke me...I would like to pose a question. How do you make something good into great? A service organization specifically, and how do I figure out how to be the leader to take it to the next level. (That's the hardest part)

So, good sleep to all and to all a good night.

Here's some fun things we did this summer...

Ben on Chuckwalla Wall in St. George

Ben doing some type of dive...not sure what kind...something graceful I'm sure...into Wall Lake, Uinta Mountains. We did some climbing there as well...but you can't go to Wall lake without jumping in.

And me, from the top...this is my favorite Uinta lake so far. I definitely haven't seen them all, but you can't get much better then this.

So I'm trying to sell my Honda. Anyone know anyone who wants a

good reliable car for a fair price that's getting up there in miles? It's in good shape, we bought a new car. Not so new I guess, but new to us. We bought a 96 Subaru Impreza with only 118K on it. It was a screamin deal and I wanted something with AWD to go up the canyon and down each day.

So let me know if you have any leads to sell the good ol Accord.

Weekend Update - a love hate relationship with nature

So, big plans this weekend. Big Moab plans. anyone who know me know that Moab is one of my favorite places and I was looking forward to this trip for months, all i wanted to do was bike pocupine rin, is that too much to ask for? But as we all know, the weather did not cooperate. So instead we stayed home and did stuff.

We did get to climb at the new gym Momentum, that was the saving grace of the weekend. It's very tempting to pay the extra loads of cash to get a membership there, what a cool place. The walls are high and I can practice my lead climbing...the bouldering gym is packed with holds, that is good and bad, I kept hitting my knuckles on holds. It's an impressive place, although it is in Sandy and very far from our home. i also found a car i want to buy, a subaru with way lower miles then my Honda...i put the Honda up for sale and one guy has already come to look at it. If you know anyone who wants a cute black Honda Accord, tell them to give me a ring.

Overall life is good. General Conference was great, i'm glad we have conference once a month, it gives new umph to the daily struggle to be a better person. i stuggle with the daily studying right now...but Bro. Oaks talk inspired me to remember the difference between good, better and best. What is most important in our lives, our relationship with the Lord and our families. I need to work on both relationships. Each moment is a chance to make that choice, good, better or best.

Some pictures

Just thought I would embarrass my husband a little and show you how cute he is even when he makes a weird face. (Good thing Ben doesn't look at this blog, he would kill me for posting this picture of him...shhhh, don't tell him)

And here we both look really hot! We were at Ben's cabin, "The Ranch" and it was probably like 2:00am or something...you're not supposed to sleep at the ranch by the way, its not allowed.

And a little blue steal. He won the much coveted male model of the year award for this shot.

This gets addicting

I'm hoping the addiction subsides...maybe it won't and I'll just keep writing. I have checked this blog every night and spent countless wee hours reading about all my friends. I didn't know that the whole world was blogging and I was oblivious in my own little blog less world. Now I can be named among one of the proud many with a blog...just got to figure out how to make mine look cool, like Rae style.

Anyway...I want to tell you all that I have a fabulous husband, we had quite the heart to heart last night and he is such an amazing man inside all that "I'm cool" exterior. He is cool, don't get me wrong, but he is so many other things that even he doesn't realize yet. I hope all you wives out there can get a glimpse at least every now and then, if not every day of the amazing thing that men are. Ben is so different then me, yet completing in some way. His weaknesses are my strengths and my weaknesses are his strengths. Its amazing how God has everything planned out, man and woman shall cleave unto each other and become one...their talents, skills, life experiences and personalities shall come together to make a more complete, whole person; then they together will have children and raise them in a complete home, with a complete set of parents who have complimenting skills just because they are man and woman. Nurturer and protector together...Husband and wife, mom and dad...that's God's way. Divorce destroys God's way, parents don't think about that before they give a marriage up. Maybe they should.

I DID IT!

It feels so good to do something you keep talking about and saying, "oh, yah, i'm totally going to do that someday." I finally did my first Triathlon and I say first because I loved it and can't wait to learn to swim so I can do another one. I really enjoyed the race and I did alright for my first time, and for sucking at the swim. I have to tell you, the swim nearly killed me...I came in 41st out of 52 in my age division after the swim. I was 4th in the bike and somewhere in the 20s for the run, needless to say I was 17th out of 52 overall. Not too bad for minimal training and a flabby mid-section. I hope this small step for mankind can help me be more go-getter about other things in my life. I have so many "somedays", now its time to make them into TODAYS!

Welcome!

I thought it might be fun to start a blog...what do you think? You having fun yet?

This is a good place for me to spout my ideas and thought and to tell you what we (Ben and I) are up to. Also a good place for you to do the same. Think of the possibilities that lie within an empty page.

Although, please be warned...this blog will be unsensored and odd at times as I will show little constraint and you all know how crazy I can get. :)