We love weekends!

Our lives aren't too exciting, but here's what we've been up to. Friday, after a long day of work, we had a simple night of window shopping, followed by a nice night at home with a movie. Saturday was similar, only we did a good bit of cleaning.

Sunday was rather busy for us! We went to church where some people actually recognized us! We even met the counselors in the ward Bishopric. In addition to that, I had visiting teachers over! that night we were sound asleep, resting up for the new week, when we both flew out of bed to the blare of our smoke detectors. 'Bout gave me a heart attack! All for a dying battery! It wasn't just a little chirp from the darned thing. Oh no! It went off! It and all the other ones in the house. Well, after removing batteries, flipping breakers, unplugging smoke detectors, and flipping breakers back on, we went back to bed. Granted, we were well awake by then.

Now we're back to our weekly routine. Work, home, work, home. So exciting!

Bear Bums and Long Drives

This weekend we decided a weekend out of Utah would be really nice, so we left. After work we headed up to Rexburg, where we met up with Mimily (Emily). Emily gave us the night time tour of Rexburg then we visited with an old Winder friend, Jenny, with whom we talked with for a while. Sadly it was a little late so we couldn't say hi to Mary, but next time! Saturday morning Emily had to work, so Nate and I went and gave ourselves the daytime tour of Rexburg and walked around the new temple. It is a very beautiful temple!

When Emily was finished with work we picked her up and started our drive. When we got to Yellowstone we saw lots of beautiful mountains and rivers, lots of fly fishers, one bison up close and lots from a distance, a coyote, and lots of birds. We didn't get to see even a 1/3 of the park, but that just leaves more to do when we go back.

I think this was my favorite part of the park. This was off of Fountain Flat Drive. The steam is coming from a hot spring that is just off to the side of the river.


Emily and I around the hot spring.


The bison was in our lane, so we had to pass it and risk the oncoming traffic. I personally would rather take on the oncoming traffic.


Bison Bum!


Old Faithful

After Old Faithful, we decided that we should hit the road and head to our hotel. So, we drove over passes, through snow, back into warmth, and out of the park. Shortly after leaving the park we found ourselves in the Teton National Park. Not as much to see, that I know of, but I think it is much prettier. I think that the Teton range is the most beautiful range of mountains I have ever seen. The Tetons and the Alps are pretty close in prettiness.

Our first good shot of the mountains


Another pretty shot.

The drive to Jackson Hole was beautiful! It was getting dark when we got into town, so we found a map and made our way to our hotel. We stayed at the Snake River Lodge in Teton Village. They had really nice rooms, a fun ladies locker room that's gotta be bigger than our house, and a really cool pool that was an indoor/outdoor heated pool with caves and waterfalls. The outside hot tub was in a cave with a heated waterfall flowing into it. It was pretty fun! The next morning we managed to get a few pictures in the lobby without feeling really ghetto.

Emily petting a bear chillin' in the Lobby.


Bear Bum!
Poor bear is stuck in the log pole. There were actually lots of bears hanging out in the logs in the hotel. It was pretty cute.


Nate petting a bison in Jackson.

It was a fun trip and I don't think it was our last. There's still lots to see in Yellowstone and there's lots we'd like to do in Jackson Hole. I'd say it was a rather fun weekend!

An itch in time

An itch in time

Anyone remember this little cartoon? I know it's long, but in case you've forgotten, it's a pretty funny cartoon. About 4 1/2 min into the cartoon the little flea stakes out the dog, like a butcher would stake out a cow.

Hopefully you all now know what I'm talking about. Well, that's kinda what I felt like last Thursday when I went to got my allergy testing done. I couldn't help but think of that cartoon as the lady was staking out my arm for the different needles she was about to stick in me.

After 32 pokes in my arms, another 31 in my shoulder, and 2 very close calls with passing out, we found out that I am allergic to dust mites, tumble weed, and kochia. So what did I learn from that couple hours of fun at the doctors office? I'm allergic to the desert, wood floors and leather couches are good for me, and I really need to get over the issues I have with needles 'cause I don't like it when the room starts spinning then goes black.

Boy are we bad at this!

So, Nate is getting into the groove with his new job. The new Orem campus of Utah Career College just started their first term and it's been a lot of work getting them there, but so far so good.

Things of note, that we should have covered a while ago:

#1 Mama and Daddy celebrated their 25th Anniversary in August! They went and had pictures done. Aren't they cute?!

Daddy doesn't remind me of Grandpa at all!

#2 We went out and gathered thing for the first package we've sent Cami since she's been in Florida. (Sorry Cami). It was actually a lot of. We went to Build-A-Bear and made a cute little turtle, who's shell comes off and opens like a back back.

Elder Todd the Turtle
That's a Book of Mormon hanging from his wrist.

#3 Emily came to visit last weekend! The two of us went up to a Bead Fair in Salt Lake. I was expecting just beads, but alas, I was wrong! There was lots of fun jewelry and had I had enough money, there is lots I would have bought. I am quite happy with myself for not going overboard and sticking to a simple pair of amber earrings. They're nice, they didn't break the bank, and I'm sure I'll get a lot of use out of them.

On Sunday we made a new recipe out of the Martha Stewart Living o' the month. We had this German sausages with apples and sauerkraut with a side of yummy potatoes and pickles. It was very German of us and oh so yummy!