Jeff's Big Accomplishement

Well, after 2 months and some really crazy twists and turns along the way, Jeff is once again gainfully employed.  He has accepted a Suplier Quality Engineer II position with Bard Acess Systems, a medical device company in Salt Lake City.  This position was almost 3 full weeks in the making, with 3 intense interviews and a lot of sitting, waiting and hoping squeezed in between.  The company really seemed to like his experience in a wide variety of quality fields (aerospace, marine, oil and gas and automotive), so he was a natural fit in their structure.  He seems to have taken it all in stride and is ready to start his new adventure.  His official start date is Monday, November 2.  Great job, Jeff....I am so proud of you for staying positive and never letting this small set back damper your determination (although I am gonna miss my 'house husband' greatly).  Good luck in the medical field!

Hiking in Mill Creek Canyon

Last Saturday was such a gorgeous day with temperatures in the high 60s, that Jeff and I decided to take the dogs for a hike in Mill Creek Canyon.  I have been wanting to head up there to hike for some time now, but we never really got around to doing it.  Well, Saturday we packed the dogs and a backpack up and headed to the canyon, hoping to have a good hike and get some pictures of the leaves changing.  At the base of the canyon it was 70 degrees, sunny and beautiful; however, as we started making our way up, the temperatures kept dropping...by the time we reached our hiking spot, the temperature on the car was reading 36 degrees and there was snow on the ground!  We were in shock.  Thank goodness we had dressed semi warm and had the dog's boots with us. 

We got some really great pictures of the fall colors in the canyon...already past peak, but still lots of beauty to see...

As we started hiking, I knew that this was going to be no ordinary hike...the trail was covered with snow and slippery.  Still, we managed to head up the trail...

Once we got the dogs used to the snow, we trucked along at a pretty good pace...when we weren't stopping to take pictures that is!

Although we didn't quite make it to Dog Lake (the temperature was dropping, the winds were picking up and we were getting cold), we are determined to try again next time (hopefully being better prepared for the change in weather).  Still, it was a beautiful hike.  Here are some more pictures from our day in Mill Creek Canyon.

On the way back down the trail, Kira met two Akitas that she played with.  They were really cute (and big) and were having a great time on the trail...

After we got back to the car, we got the dogs cleaned off (they were dirty and wet) and got them into their seat belts in the car...we were cleaning up all their stuff when I got this picture.

The jury is still out...do you think they liked the hike? :-)

Whether they did or not, it sure tired them out.  We got these pictures of both of them before we had left the canyon...both dogs were plum tuckered out.

They were so exhausted that they slept the rest of the day Saturday and all day Sunday...we are going to take them hiking again real soon.

Someone's Having a Birthday...

...and it's ME!  Last Wednesday was the big 31 for me...and, when it came, it wasn't nearly as bad as turning 30.  In fact, the day was pretty darn nice (with the exception that I had to work all day).  Still, when I got home, Jeff had made dinner (steak and scallops- yum!) and a cake for me.  He is really becoming domestic since being laid off.  Anyway, dinner was great and then I got to open up presents.  And I must admit, this year was the year that I got pampered...literally!  I got a gift certificate from Jeff's parents for a facial and a pedicure at the Cottage Retreat Day Spa in Gardner Village...I can't wait to use it.

I then got a gift certificate for my hair salon here from my mom and Mike as well as gift cards to Olive Garden...yay!

Finally, Jeff got me Wii Resort Sports (which I have been wanting) and the puppies got me an additional Wii motion sensor for the remote so that both Jeff and I can play.  But the best gift of all was the card that Jeff gave me.  It was so sweet that it made me cry.  Thanks, Jeff, I really needed that! :-)

We played it all weekend long and it is so fun...we especially like Light Sabres, Parachuting and Dog Frisbie.  I would highly recommend it for anyone with a Wii...but be prepared for a great night of fun!

Thanks everyone, for making my 31st birthday so special!  Hopefully, 31 will prove to be an excellent year!

Viva Las Vegas!

While Jeff's parents were here, we decided to take a quick trip down to Vegas.  Mom and Dad had never been before and Jeff and I desperately needed to get out of Utah and away from all our problems for a bit.  We originally planned to head down on Tuesday, but Jeff had an interview with Rockwell Collins on Tuesday afternoon, so we had to push back the trip a day.  We boarded the dogs at the PetSmart hotel and headed down on Wednesday morning.  Once we were out of Utah and into Arizona, the scenery turned so pretty...there were red rock canyons everywhere.  Here are some pictures I took from the car as we drove by.

It was a beautiful drive and before I knew it, we could see the strip on the horizon.  We stayed at the Monte Carlo, which is our favorite hotel.  Once we arrived and got settled in, we walked around the strip and took in all the excitement.

We had a nice dinner in the Pub at the Monte Carlo and played the slots and tables for a little while; Jeff's mom won over $100 at the blackjack table and Jeff and I only managed to lose a couple of dollars at the slots.

On Thursday, we headed out after breakfast and walked the entire length of the strip.  It was crazy!  We must have walked at least 3 miles that day.  We did make a lot of stops at the casinos and even took a gondola ride in the Venetian!  Jeff's mom has always wanted to take the gondola ride, so we did it.  Here I am with the tickets in hand.

The gondola ride was a blast, topped off by the fact that our driver was super funny and a great singer.  He belted out a tune for us while on the ride and I swear, everyone in the Venetian stopped what they were doing to listen and take pictures.  It didn't hurt that he had traveled all over the world and was very knowledgeable.

 

We were hot and tired by the time we got back to the hotel, but after a quick nap, we were ready to tackle another night in Vegas.  We had dinner at a really good Chinese restaurant that made yummy sushi...really, it was some of the best I have ever had.  After that, mom went to play tables and Jeff and I played some slots.  Jeff won $146 on penny slots and I won $90 on penny slots (although I was up until after 3:00 am).

Here are some more pictures from our short trip to Vegas...

Mmm, the last picture is a case of aged beef that was at a restaurant in New York, New York...doesn't it just make your mouth water?

Overall, it was a nice short trip and it was good to get away for a little while.  Plus, it was nice to experience it with Jeff's parents for the first time.  I definitely think we will all be back.  And, we left with more money than we came with...what could be better than that?

Spectacular Snowbird

One of the things Jeff's parents wanted to do while in Utah was take the tram up to the top of Snowbird...this stemmed from the fact that we took my sister up there and the views were so incredible at the top that we haven't stopped talking about it since.  So, on the Monday of their vacation, we headed up there.  It was so quiet and perfect to go on a week day instead of a weekend...no one was around!  Anyway, here are some pictures that we took while waiting to catch the tram up the mountain...

The ride up was really quiet, as only the four of us and another woman were on the tram.  Still, the views are so worth the trip (even if you have been before)...

Once at the top, it was really cold; right around 34 degrees (as dad is modeling in the picture below)...the winds made it feel so much colder, even though they weren't near as strong as when we were there with Katie.  As soon as we got out of the tram, we saw a little critter...he was a cross between a squirrel and a chipmunk.  He was pretty cute and we chased him all around, trying to get a good picture.

We also got some really nice shots of the scenery and us with the scenery....

Mom and I kept talking as we were walking around about how you can look at these mountains and not believe that God exists...it really is an overwhelming experience.  Overall, another fun trip to Snowbird.  Each trip we take up there is different, depending on who we are with.  Thanks for making this a special memory, Mom and Dad!

Are you ready for some football?

Of course, we were (when am I not). Jeff's parents are really big Florida State fans, so when we saw that they were playing BYU in Provo, I knew we had to get tickets to the game. Jeff managed to secure some through the FSU ticket office, which was good because we got to sit with the rest of the FSU fans.

Okay, now before I begin about the game, I want it documented that you will see me in an FSU jersey at the game. I know this is out of character for me since I went to a rival ACC school, but for the purposes of this game, I was an FSU fan. Enough said!

Game day was absolutely beautiful...not a cloud in the sky and great weather. We headed to the game early, got a bite to eat and just relaxed. Good thing, because once the game started, there was no more relaxing...

FSU got the football first, marched down the field and scored...FSU up 7-0. The fans went wild!

Here's a picture of the happiest FSU fans aka my in-laws!

After that fist FSU drive, they were on fire; BYU couldn't do anything correctly. Although they kept it close for a little while, FSU eventually ran away with it. At the end, the score was almost humiliating...

And yes, that is Jeff catching me doing the tomahawk chop (sorry Clemson fans, but it had to be done, just for this game). It was a really great game and the BYU fans were gracious in their loss...made the game a wonderful experience for all. Anyway, here are some more pictures we took at the game...

It was nice to be able to share it with people who enjoyed the win so much...especially family!