First trip of the season

The day was Friday Feb. 29th. Ben and I hopped in the car after loading it full and drove south. It was my birthday weekend and all i wanted was a trip away from everyday life. We decided to head to St. George, best bet for weather and awesome climbing of course. We invited some friends who would be meeting us later that night. So we started our climing at Chuckwalla Wall. I climbed a 9 adn a 10 and Ben climbed his 12, first he lead it with a couple takes then he top roped it with no takes at all, he's my hero!

So we met up with friends and ate at Iceberg with the Highland Rugby team, they are definitely not a quiet bunch. After that, the Riley's, the Katelers, the Bates and us drove to our flat camp spot at Green Valley Gap and got ready for bed. It was a perfect night for camping, not a cloud in the sky. We woke up, made pancakes and eggs then hiked up the gap to climb. Everyone got to climb and hopefully had a ton of fun. Ben climbed another 12 and me, Josalyn and Danny tried it and made it up with a little belayer help.

We had a big fire that night and cooked tin foil dinners. It was a great evening until the wind decided to do it's own thing and try to blow us away. So we all dove for our tents and tried to sleep through the gail. It blew all night long, I woke up a couple times, but most everyone else didn't sleep much. The next day we tried to play and do some fun things, but the wind was so cold and really caused issues with fun. Josalyn bought me a cake from the Mexican mercado. We ate is as fast as possible so we could get back in the car to drive home. It was too cold to hang. So poor Katelers had to squish in the back of our little subaru because we decided to bring a boulder pad we didn't really use for it's intended use. Oh, well, sorry kastelers, sorry we squished you. We had a great time and I can't wait to go down there soon again to bike. I can't wait to bike period.

vocation or avocation

i don't write too much about my job, but I really have a cool one. I worked on Saturday and have some really fun lessons. For those who don't know, i teach horseback riding lessons to people with disabilities, I also manage the program. So back to Saturday, it is such a great feeling to work and work to teach someone something and finally, at last, they understant. Something you said or did, finally made it click. I have had a couple lessons like that lately and they really keep you going when the work is frustrating or hard. Moments like those really make me grateful for a job that is stimulating, exciting and makes a difference in some people's lives.

I am sick today, my brain doesn't seem to be working very well either. So forgive the things I say that don't make sense.

How bout that snow? It's cold and makes for interesting dirving, i'll tell you that much. It's been sad though that I haven't been skiing much, those poor skis are sitting in the corner of our front room oh so lonely. At least they have eachother, at least i'm not a boarder cause then it would really be lonely. I love my new skis by the way. I have figured out this season how to utilize their talents. For those who don't know, I ski on the LINE prophet 90 ski with the BD tele bindings. They are so much fun...

I am wondering who you all are going to vote for and why? I am not so sure.

The holidays

We had a great time, how about you? Ben did a fabulous job shopping for his wife for Christmas. He's always so worried he's not going to get less for me then I get for him. He was right on the dot this year and one of the bigger presents I bought for him got lost in the mail somewhere. Still working on finding it. Thanks to all our families and friends who were so generous in thinking of us. Thanks to Ben's parents for letting us sleep on their buffalo rug...that's a quality night sleep right there. Thanks to my Dad and Colleen for making Christmas mean a little more this year with our homemade gift Christmas.

New Years was a hoot, we hung out at "The Ranch" with Ben's fam, my sis and boyfriend and some of Libbi's friends. We stayed up late, ate a lot of food and played in the snow. Life is good.

We made goals for 2008. I don't like to call them New Year's resolutions, I don't believe in those...you should be making resolutions all year, but all that said, we did make new goals. Guess they are kinda the same thing. I do believe we have a steady resolve in these goals. We have been successful so far...6 days straight. :)

What type of resolutions or goals were made out there? Here's to a great new year!

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.