Happiest Place on Earth

Earlier this year Disneyland did a promotion to try and get one million hours of volunteer service. They offered a free Disneyland ticket to anyone who went and volunteered for a few hours at one of their designated areas. Seeing as tickets to Disneyland are going for $76 dollars these days, Nate and I jumped on the service bandwagon. We got our free tickets and made a trip down to Anaheim to enjoy the fruits of our labors.

Neither of us are big Disneyland people and so we planned our trip for the evening, when there would be shorter lines and less crowds. We got there at about seven and were surprised that we did not have to pay for parking. Disneyland is not typically known for letting anybody slide by without paying. When we got to the ticket counter we found out why; during the winter months, the park closes at eight o'clock. Oh crap. Our tickets expired at the end of the year, so we just decided to go for it and have a forty-five minute blitz of California Adventure. Let me tell you, it was probably the most fun Nate and I have ever had in 3/4 of an hour.

On the ferris wheel. You can't tell, but it was a great view.

People were kissing inside of the A. Blech.

Climb On!

In the days before his mission, Tim used to be my climbing buddy. We’d usually bring along one or two friends, some music and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and make an afternoon of it. In fact, the first time I ever hung out with Nathan it was rock climbing. It was a bit funny to see my little, scrawny, sad-excuse-for-a-man brother belaying big, hulking, "I could eat you for breakfast and still be hungry" Nathan. I don’t think Nate felt entirely safe as that was his first and only time climbing with us.

The other day Tim and I got to do our first climbing since he got back from his mission. We went to our usual spot off of Highway 38. Aside from the fact that it was freezing cold, it was just like old times.

Timmy, this blog’s for you.

Happy Holidays

Mox does not find her transformation into a reindeer nearly as amusing as I do.

13.1 Miles

Last weekend, I ran a half marathon. I use the term "run" very loosely.

Rosie, the namesake of my future child, was a great sport waking up before dawn, acting as chauffeur to and from the race, popping up several places along the route to cheer us on, and photographing all the action. Here are a few of the highlights.

Kim and I getting ready to start.

Being outpaced by an old man with bad knees.

Happy to be almost done.

Just finished and got my medal.

I think we are all ready for a nap.

Conquering the Black Canyon in an 18' Scanoe

We have acquired a scanoe. What is a scanoe you ask? Good question. I didn’t know either until we had one. It is a square-backed canoe. Scanoe. The more you look at that word the more wrong it appears to be spelled. No matter, moving on.

Nathan is a man of adventure and risks. I am a woman of adventure, but not so much risk. When he suggested that we load all our camping gear up in our big, green, duct tape over a hole, not sure if it even will float scanoe and take it up to the Colorado River for a camping trip, I was a bit hesitant to say the least. Typically when Nate gets a new water toy it ends up broken down or on fire during some point in its voyage.

Nonetheless, he talked me into it, and away we headed to the great state of Arizona.

We put in at Willow Beach (notice giant patch job on the side).

It didn't sink!

Some cave exploring.

Water levels were so low all the beaches were covered with some kind of marsh muck.

I absolutely love this place.

Also, I absolutely love this man.

In all, the trip was a huge success. I'm glad Nate was able to overlook my "I don't want to go because the boat is going to sink and we are going to die" attitude. He's made a scanoe believer out of me.

Halloween

We had a party.

It was our first official party since moving into our new house. I think it may be the first of many, provided our friends don't keep on having babies. I only got a few pictures, but since the only people who read this blog were unable to attend, I wanted you all to see what you missed out on.

Lots of food

(cupcakes courtesy of Hardy's Haunts)

A very historical family

The Whittier Drive pumpkin carving tradition

Nathan's big mustache

Next time, you guys should totally come.

Rosemont Farms

In being unemployed I have decided that my true life’s calling is to be a rancher. I realize that it is a little tricky to do living in a small suburban subdivision. However, undeterred by our location, Nate and I started this dream with some chickens, a dog, and a nice little garden out back.

Well, we have just added on and taken one step closer to being a real farm. Allow me to introduce to you the newest members of Rosemont Farms.

Hank

Big Momma

Little Boy

Bunny

One day what I really hope to get is a small herd of these:


Your eyes do not deceive you - that is a miniature cow.

But I think that day will have to wait until we buy a property that is actually zoned for animals.