"Send me a little word"

The Merry Month of December

2011-12-23T16:13:00.000-08:00

Are you convinced?

It's a Christmas miracle that we haven't lost one of these boots yet

Emerson and her friend the ex-outcast, Rudolph

We went cross-country skiing for our 4-year anniversary. I'm so sore. Glade, for the record, is not. What's up with that?

The Grinch filled in for Santa at our ward Christmas Party. Em was...confused.

"Wise men still seek him"

A note from Emerson:
6.BD]OOI]IYOZP';PPIOIOO899999poosx-utttrtf r SOIU8TDx.ppo''.e-'0 0p o-[

Merry Christmas!

Current Events

2011-10-23T21:05:00.000-07:00

Emerson likes to keep up on her current events.
Here are a few of ours:

She's gonna be a mighty queen (sorry if that gets a certain interminable Disney song stuck in your head).

For Glade's birthday I forced Emerson to wear an "I Love Daddy" shirt. She didn't protest too much. We spent his birthday weekend in Rexburg and went bowling--Glade dominated. (Or maybe we just let him win because it was his birthday).

We learned very quickly why people don't put makeup on babies.

Can you guess what Glade was?

How is it my little brother can pull off swoopy bangs and I can't?

Two bottom teeth and lots of drool.

And in honor of Thanksgiving, a gratitude list:

Family
Good friends, near and far
The Conference Ensign
Crock pot recipes
Emerson finally saying 'mama'
Don't Sweat the Small Stuff
Disney station on Pandora
A personal yoga revival
Nap time
Big windows
Smarties
Blue skies
Aha moments
Pumpkin cookies
The grace of God

Happy Turkey Day!

The Grand Teton!

2011-09-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

Glade works with the young men in our church, and this month they climbed the Grand Teton! With eight first-timers in the group, it was impressive (and rare) that they all made it to the top. Talk about unity. Such an incredible physical feat! Here are some of his pictures for your viewing pleasure:

On an entirely different note...

We've had lots of visitors this summer, and besides a few cute baby boys, they have all been female. Glade's been a trooper about the excessive estrogen. I'm so glad I got some long overdue GIRL time. Thanks for the visits, friends!

Six months down, a lifetime to go...

2011-09-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

My sister Kari and her kiddos came for a spontaneous visit in August. We had so much fun riding the alpine slides and throwing rocks in Jenny Lake. The kids made Emerson feel like a celebrity.

Kari did this photo shoot with Emerson, who was well-rested, recently fed, and luckily cooperative (mostly). The fabulous results:

It's hard to believe she is six months old.

In August we visited Bear Lake and Logan, where my sister-in-law Steph took these awesome pictures of Em. I love having photographers in the family.

Except for the part where I didn't get a raspberry shake, Bear Lake was great. I water skied and tubed for the first time in, oh, maybe five years. Terrifying! But also exhilarating, and I'm sure entertaining for bystanders.

Em & Grandpa watching cartoons (he changed the channel from tennis, figuring she'd find cartoons more interesting :)

So long, sweet summer!

2011-08-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

Finally! Enough hair for a bad hair day!

Jackson Lake

Sorry my unfulfilled nature photographer aspirations are kind of taking over the blog...

Not the poster child for rice cereal

Visitors! We had a great time playing tourist with my sister and cousin and their cute kiddos.

Glade finally has someone to watch sports with him

Emerson doesn't love her new bike trailer, but she endures it well.

She discovered her toes--which means she probably found the toe jam, too.

"Time is making fools of us again." -Albus Dumbledore

2011-07-20T12:35:00.001-07:00

The title is fitting because after a several-year hiatus I FINALLY finished the Harry Potter series this week (loved the 7th book), and also because summer is passing too, too fast.

She looks like such a big kid in the Bumbo

Putting the moves on baby Cohen

Phelp's Lake

The front pack allows your baby to work as a great bug shield--we found a little black bug stuck to Emerson's eyeball after the hike, but she didn't seem too bugged (forgive my corny pun).

We took a picnic up Curtis Canyon and happened to catch it on a night of other-worldly beauty. So incredible!

That's me--just kidding. We lived vicariously through this para glider.

"I Was Made For Sunny Days" -The Weepies

2011-06-11T12:25:00.000-07:00

Love this luscious time of year

Emerson vs. Agee (named after Em's favorite word, "uh-gee!")

The effects of gravity on those chubbalicious cheeks--we're just lucky she didn't spit up on our faces.

Trying out different settings on our new camera

Might become obsessed with this 'pin hole' setting

Emerson's first trip to Grand Teton NP. Too bad it still looks like winter.

Jellies!

Blue Steel

There's nothing better than fresh fruit...except fresh fruit skewered on little sticks. I won't insult anyone's intelligence by listing a recipe, but I will say that raspberries, kiwis, and oranges make a happy trio.

Blessing Day

2011-06-11T11:26:00.001-07:00

No blow outs in her white dress, no crying during the blessing (except by her mom), an occasional ray of sunshine, supportive family and friends...what more can you ask for of a Blessing Day?

We blessed Emerson in Logan, where she got a chance to meet many of her own kind:

Loving the limelight

My sisters and sisters-in-law threw me an awesome shower, where Em and I were spoiled with great company, yummy food, and generous gifts.

I was slightly devastated to find the tree house in my parent's backyard looking rather dilapidated. I had many a good time in those branches, may it rest in peace (or pieces).

Paparazzi

2011-05-19T13:57:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I wonder if Emerson feels like the paparazzi are after her...

I think this initiates Glade into the World's Best Dad club

At her two month appointment she was in the 75th percentile for weight--or as Glade put it, she can beat up 75% of the babies her age.

Insert Clever Title Here

2011-04-23T10:31:00.001-07:00

Perhaps a bit resentful of her "volume control" binky

She loves massage time...sometimes

"So this is what it feels like to be pregnant." -Glade
Um, sort of.

Her days of sink-bathing are numbered

To some this may look like child abuse, but it's just dad's idea of playtime. Emerson isn't yet convinced about the merits of fresh, warm laundry.

So cool

2011-04-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

"...the first ever LIVE, scripted, one-take music video broadcast to the world as it was filmed."

The world will be a happier place on May 31st, when Death Cab releases their new album.

The Latest

2011-03-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

Guess who was excited about her first day of church...

Welcome home Elder Ricks! Glade wanted to keep Emerson a secret from his missionary brother--Carl was adequately shocked to find a new niece waiting to greet him at the airport.

Em's pretty popular with her cousins

I was lucky to have lots of help from my mom and sisters, who took turns visiting and helped me learn the motherhood ropes.

Em's first walk.

In high school I gave a foreign exchange student her first Starburst--I was pretty excited to introduce her to something so amazing. I realized I'll get to do the same thing with Emerson, and see her experience a slew of wonderful firsts.

Don't you just want to kiss those cheeks? I find myself doing just that on a very regular basis.

Baby Emerson!

2011-03-03T16:33:00.000-08:00

Emerson Wendy Ricks
Born February 28, 2011
at 12:36 pm

7 lbs 13 oz
21 1/4 inches long

We can't get enough of this girl!

No rest for the wicked

2011-01-31T13:19:00.000-08:00

Well, it's official--I'm not wicked. After a pre-term labor scare last Monday, I am on bed rest until I reach 36 weeks (only 2 weeks to go!). There are much worse things than having oodles of time to read and watch movies and beat Glade at Mariokart, but I'm definitely remembering the importance of BALANCE in life. I understand the hypocrisy in wishing I could go jogging when I wasn't even exercising before I got put on bed rest. It reminds me of a saying from Walk Two Moons, about not appreciating the water until the well is dry. But I've been overwhelmed by support from family, friends, and our awesome ward, and wanted to say
THANK YOU!
And, because what would a post be without a picture:

P.S. This quote sums up how I currently feel:
"That stage when an expectant mother looks less like a person than a monument to womanhood."
The Myth of You and Me by Leah Stewart

"So this is the new year..."

2011-01-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

Our adorable neph Heath made it in time for Christmas

My "little" bros

Carter is a Jenga prodigy

My friends threw an awesome shower for me and Bre. So many nice presents and yummy food!

Lindsey made this fancy cake that tasted as good as it looks

Snow shoeing near Taggart Lake

Glade pushed me down in the snow--okay, really I just couldn't resist falling into the fluffy white stuff.

Happy New Year!

Some of this and some of that

2010-12-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

I went to St. George with some friends from high school. Sunshine, good food, gorgeous hike, shopping, games...we had a seriously good time. Love these girls!

Short sleeves in November--lovely

Canyon sweet canyon

Wedding time again in SLC--congrats Mark and Nykelle!

Glade is really contributing by holding Mark's foot

Because who doesn't feel like a sit-up contest after Thanksgiving dinner?

Our non-traditional Christmas tree (AKA we're lazy and cheap). Doesn't it look Bethlehem-ish?

Baby girl is coming right along. I never thought I'd enjoy being kicked so much, but it's my new favorite past time.

Happy Holidays!

Our fortune

2010-11-01T20:48:00.000-07:00

A small lucky package, indeed! And with a pink ribbon. We're having a baby girl! I've never been crazy about pink, but it's already starting to grow on me. Can't wait to meet the little doll come March!

My brother Jay and his gorgeous bride Haylee

I really should have taken more pictures to document their wedding day, but stealing them will have to suffice this time.

Congrats to the newlyweds!

A little bit of everything

2010-10-04T19:22:00.001-07:00

I've been loving on fall. It seems extra spectacular this year.

We rode the tram in Teton Village and enjoyed stunning views (I'm sure they would've seemed even more stunning if it had taken more than 8 minutes to get to the top of the mountain).

I finally learned how to get pictures from my phone to the computer, hence this lovely picture of a rainbow in Pennsylvania, circa 2008. In case any of you are as un-tech savvy as I, you can text a picture to your email address. Who knew?

We enjoyed a lazy day at String Lake when Jake and Bre came to visit

Jenny and I at Jenny Lake (yes, it is named after her).

The girls got together to welcome Kristen home from her mission to Nicaragua. We made a big delicious breakfast and somehow all I had to do was stir the orange juice.

My Grandma and Grandpa Crane celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary! Quite an impressive feat.

Maybe Glade and I will shoot for 60 years if it means getting a fancy bakery cake and a sweet party.

We bought a kitchen table from our neighbors. The asking price was a six pack of beer, but we opted to just give them some cash. It was wild and crazy when we got it (see top pic for proof). We toned it down into something classy looking for a few weeks, and then made it a little crazy again.

Happy Fall!

Won't be needing this anymore...

2010-09-21T09:35:00.000-07:00

...thanks to the natural glow of pregnancy. We're having a baby! In March, which seems years and lifetimes away, but will likely be here before I know it. Advice welcome! Scary labor stories....save 'em for when the little bundle of joy has arrived safe and sound.

"What are men to rocks and mountains?" --Jane Austen

2010-08-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

We hiked to infinity and beyond the other day. Well, it felt like that, but really it was just to Goodwin Lake and beyond, to Jackson Peak. There's lots of gorgeousness hiding back in Curtis Canyon.

Alive with the sound of music, right?

Glade reminds me to have good posture. Now if he could just coach me on the smile...

The formation in the background of this picture looks like a sleeping indian, and is thus called Sleeping Indian.

I think I'll go take a nap.

Coasting

2010-08-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Few places are dearer to my heart than the Oregon Coast. Mountains and ocean collide, making for the best of both worlds. We got to spend a week there, allowing for some serious family reuniting time.

Boilers Bay

Don't try this at home. Or do.

Glade was nice enough to chase waves with the nieces and nephs, while I stayed bundled in my sweatshirt with my feet buried in the dry sand. Let's just say my new swim suit didn't get to make its debut.

This picture makes me think of the Little Mermaid. Minus the Little Mermaid.

Newport Bay

Remember when eating an ice cream cone took serious concentration? Perhaps it still does for some of you...

The volleyball tournament is a reunion staple with my extended family. Despite the rampant athleticism among my cousins, the team Glade and I were on won! At last! (With little help from me, I might add).

Until next time, Oregon.

My new, unattainable favorite song

2010-07-23T13:55:00.000-07:00

I was instantly smitten by this song "Notes" when it played on Pandora.com. It's by a guy name Meric Long, who later started the band The Dodos. But I can't find it on iTunes or any other MP3 sites. It's from a self-released album called Dodo Bird, which sells online for $25.00! And it only has five songs!

So...if anyone happens to stumble upon a place where I can buy the song for a couple of bucks, let me know. I'll reward you with some baked goods, or baby sitting, or plant watering...

And now a few other good songs, just for fun.

If a tree falls in the forest....

2010-07-20T19:20:00.000-07:00

...and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound?

That I do not know, but I can assure you that the tree which fell directly across the path in front of us made a sound. Such a sound. Yikes!

The timing was bizarre. We felt like we cheated death.

Scenic Drive

2010-07-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

The perfect rainy day activity.

Coyote Gulch, Take Two

2010-06-06T20:31:00.000-07:00

This year's backpacking trip to Coyote Gulch was the antithesis of last years. I dare call it a screaming success. We had a great group of people, ever-blue skies, and beef jerky. Need I say more? Sorry for so many pictures...the canyon was very photogenic.

Jake and Bre

My cousin Shan

The Crack

The look on my face is one of forced casualness--inside I was freaking out! I think I'll stick with my pearls.

My dad (AKA Papa Smurf)--ultimate trip planner

And the award for cheesiest pose goes to...

The boys. Being boys.

Arrowhead Lake

I wish I could say that was me jumping off that giant boulder--but then you'd be wondering why I wasn't wearing a shirt. Glade was in fact the one gutsy enough to tackle the jump, while I stayed safely (an anticlimactically) on solid ground.

A Medley of May

2010-05-25T14:00:00.001-07:00

We had a great visit to the Vally of Cache

Aggie Ice Cream with the girls, for my cousin Shan's birthday. Mmmmm. Aggie Blue Mint is out of this world.

More ice cream with Bre, Nat, Dewey, and Lawlor. (I'm sensing a theme here)

Guess who got her craft on...
I found the yarn at a thrift store, so the button was the most expensive part.

It would be a severe understatement to say I'm fond of composition notebooks. The emptying of our storage locker revealed a shocking volume of them.

The library, bless their hearts, had a giant book sale. Hard backs for a dollar! I went a little bit nuts.

Perhaps our hike to Taggart Lake was a bit premature. (We were in sandals and other people were cross-country skiing). But there's only so much you can do when cabin fever sets in.

Family Pics

2010-05-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

The best part is, I didn't hear the phrase "Say Cheese" once.

I second the motion

2010-04-15T15:25:00.000-07:00

"Hopelessly in love with spring"

2010-03-25T20:27:00.000-07:00

We've nearly survived winter! There is this lovely quote that says: "To be interested in the changing seasons is...a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring." (George Santayana) But I can't help myself. I am hopelessly in love with spring.

I did try to be interested in winter. We went snowshoeing, using these enormous and ancient snow shoes. They made me feel graceless, but we had a good time.

Other important matters of business:

We recently ordered some checks, and when they arrived we found...they're in Spanish. We were so enamored by the design we forgot to notice that they weren't in our language. You'd think maybe the name "Casa Artistica" would've tipped us off. We had a good laugh, and many laughter aftershocks, in fact.

I shoplifted the other day. I was waiting to purchase a breakfast burrito at this convenience store called Creekside Deli, and put these booklets about hiking and wildflowers in the national park in my purse, thinking they were free. They weren't. Later that night I noticed the $5 price tags on the back. Oops. The employees of Creekside had a hearty laugh at my expense when I returned them.

We got to hear a talk by Azar Nafisi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran and Things I've Been Silent About. I haven't yet read either of them, but the talk was free (put on by the library), and we were so glad we went. She was amazing! Such a wise and passionate, and of course eloquent, person. The woman who introduced Azar read this poem, by the Iranian poet Hafiz:

the small man
builds cages for everyone
he
knows.
While the sage,
who has to duck his head
when the moon is low,
keeps dropping keys all night long
for the
beautiful
rowdy
prisoners.

I won't be so bold as to say I understand it, but I can't get it out of my mind--I think those are the best kinds of poems.

And finally:

This happened. Glade had a hard time replacing his Idaho plates with Utah ones when we got married, so I guess we've reached a sort of compromise.

Happy spring!

Listing

2010-02-24T16:23:00.000-08:00

Some days it's hard to appreciate things, but today was not one of those days. And so I give you this list.

Things I've been lately loving:
Grapefruit
The movie Confessions of a Shopaholic
Yoga (Try it. I know you'll love it.)
My rice bag
Real Simple (I found the March issue in the city's magazine recycling bin :)
Phonecalls from friends
French fries dipped in ranch
Ballpoint pens
Jackson 2nd Ward
Nasal spray to help me kick this cold (warning:highly addictive)
Prayer
The Snake River
Bursts of confidence
My down comforter
Marshmallow popcorn
The library
Successful recipes (even somewhat successful ones count)
Family
Fuzzy socks
30 Rock and Lost
Delta, Utah
Listening to music in the car
Old pictures+scanners

Glade's Grandpa and Grandma Siepert

My Grandpa and Grandma Bladen

I tried not to include too much food--otherwise this list would've gone on and on. Make your own list when you get a chance. List making has been proven to lower stress--okay, I just made that up, but it's probably true.

Happy listing.

Ode to Aunthood

2010-02-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

Hopefully there's not a limit to the cuteness in the world, because my nieces and nephews would be taking more than their share! Thanks for letting me steal pictures from everyones' blogs--this is one time that stealing is okay, right?

Lately

2010-01-18T11:51:00.001-08:00

According to the tag, these flowers Glade brought me are 'not edible'. What are we supposed to have for dinner?

We used a hot glue gun instead of frosting--why didn't I think of that years ago?

Glade loves dumping baskets of warm laundry on my head...ah, simple pleasures

You know those songs that make you cry, or want to?

2009-12-29T11:13:00.000-08:00

Other such songs include:

"A Little Fall of Rain" from Les Miserables
"Song for You" by Alexi Murdoch
"Throw Me a Rope" by KT Tunstall
"Mountain Spring" performed by Barrage
"Hurt" covered by Johnny Cash

Check them out on youtube if you're feeling weepy :)

Why oh why did that big tube of Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough have to be on sale?

2009-12-15T11:06:00.000-08:00

Eating raw cookie dough is about the extent of my risk-taking--but boy do I love it. I couldn't help but scoff at the package for trying to tell me to cook the dough before consuming it. I froze half of it, hoping to lessen the temptation (like the girl in Confessions of a Shopaholic does with her credit cards) but when Glade unthawed it I wasn't mad.

Luckily I've also been having fierce cravings for oranges lately. Tis the season. It's nice to crave something healthy for once.

We suffered a plant casualty. I got this plant at a grocery store in Pennsylvania. It traveled with Glade across the country, kept upright in one of his shoes, and gathered many a strange look from toll booth operators. Little by little the leaves started turning this awful blackish color. It will be sorely missed.

I've been a bit estranged from my crafty side, but decided to remedy that when my sister-in-law informed me of a super cute and affordable idea. (You can find it Here--I used a stapler instead of a glue gun)

Thanksgiving was wonderful. I didn't participate in the contest where some of the males in my family weighed themselves before and after Thanksgiving dinner, to see who gained the most weight. Nor did I participate in Sting Ping. Some of them collected some pretty awesome welts.

Rock Band with Uncle Matt and the kiddies

Bladen nieces and nephews (minus Halle)

I love how Madi and Evan have the exact same expression. And that Megan's tongue is out of her mouth 75% of the time these days. Also, isn't Savanna's hair incredibly long for a two-year-old? Whatever Carter's playing with is clearly more interesting than the camera.

I created an "O Holy Night" station on Pandora.com that has helped me get into the Christmas spirit.

And the biggest news of all:

Glade got a job at a bank in Jackson, so we're planning on being here for at least another year! I'm already looking forward to summer :) The shopping in Jackson leaves a lot to be asked (I spent over an hour in the dollar store the other day), but it forces me to save money. We just got called as primary teachers, and Glade has nominated himself as the disciplinarian. (He's really just a big softy). We're looking forward to celebrating our two year anniversary on December 20th.

Merry Christmas! Here's to hoping our windshield wiper fluid doesn't freeze again...

Supergrapes, a birthday, and a dislocated finger

2009-11-19T11:10:00.000-08:00

For Glade's birthday we traveled to the land of outrageously freezing wind...Rexburg. We had a blast celebrating with his family, in an evening that may have involved Pin the Tail on the Donkey and some arm wrestling. (I lost. Bad.) My camera batteries have the uncanny habit of dying in the midst of special occasions (which explains the lack of Glade's graduation pictures), so I didn't get picture of everyone, but enjoy the ones I did manage to take.

Birthday Boy

Mary, Carter, Nancy, Anabelle

Marilyn, Joe, Carter

Veniece and Madeline, first and second place winners of

Pin the Tail on the Donkey, with dollar store prizes to prove it.

Anabelle--cutest little dalmation ever

We're pretty cute

Glade jammed his ring finger playing basketball, not once, but twice. I was losing hope that his wedding ring would ever fit again (since it's one of those obnoxious materials that can't be resized) when he sealed the deal by dislocating the same finger. Luckily he was able to pop the finger back in himself. Yuck. It is still humorously large. I'd be devastated in his situation, but then again my ring has diamonds :)

And finally, Supergrape. Why haven't more companies caught onto the idea of turning produce into superheroes? They were super good.

Good Times in G-Ville

2009-10-29T10:55:00.001-07:00

I recently visited my sister Stacy in Grantsville. The last speeding ticket I got was in G-ville, so I tried to be on my very best behavior.

My niece Megan looking oh-so innocent

This hat has an appetite for young children

Finally, someone who likes ranch dressing as much as I do!

I saw this intense hand drier in a gas station bathroom and quite shamelessly snapped a picture of it. Look out paper towels.

Happy Halloween!

"I don't mind the weather, I've got scarves and caps and sweaters..."

2009-10-07T13:19:00.000-07:00

I wish I could agree with that Death Cab for Cutie song, but winter has completely clobbered fall! I was undeniably peeved when the forecast for my September birthday was 40 degrees and snowy, but it was a great day anyway. Other notable news: my sister-in-law Steph, her three kids, and my cousin Shanna came up for a visit; Jackson is B-E-A-U-tiful in the fall; Yumberry Pomegranate Sobe has changed my life with its deliciousness. Enjoy the pictures!

Carter and Savanna playing nice at Jenny Lake. My 4-year-old nephew can throw a rock farther than me....

Steph and Halle demonstrating role reversal

Cheesin' it with Savanna

Mini Me--people say Halle looks like I did at her age. I have the bad habit of blowing in babies faces to try to get a reaction, but Halle just blows back. Serves me right.

Shan and I let Carter take this picture of us--I think he's got a future in photography--then again, it'd be hard to go wrong with these subjects :)

I take birthday candle wishes very seriously

Birthday dinner at Q Roadhouse. Mmmm.

Decided it was time to document my crazy arm trick. I know, it's gross.

Creepy/pretty fog

Do you not feel inspired?

Las Vegas & Los Angeles

2009-09-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

For the first time we went on a road trip that didn't involve us moving! Glade's good friend and former college roommate John got married in the Los Angeles Temple and we made the adventurous trek from Wyoming to LA. (With many stops along the way.)

Stratosphere (who knew you could get a nice hotel room in Vegas for $30 bucks? Not me.)

That was the last I saw of Glade...

We rode the Big Shot on top of the Stratosphere. Let's just say I'm glad I went to the bathroom BEFORE getting on the ride.

I feel dizzy just looking at this picture.

John and Whitney AKA the happy couple

Mark, John, Glade (missing Matthew and Luke)

We spent a fun-filled day at Venice Beach:

crappy hotdogs, street performers, a weight-lifting

competition, sharks...okay, not sharks. And no, we didn't buy this hat.

I wanted to, but couldn't make myself look away when this guy walked on glass. Yikes.

Coincidences

2009-09-06T18:21:00.001-07:00

#1. The other day I was wandering around a cool store called Global Treasures (wow, it sounds like they're paying me to advertise), when I found some cards and thought: Those look like me. Or rather, like something I would like. They were my favorite colors -- blue and green -- and featured dragonflies, which I find myself inexplicably drawn too. (Only in art form--I find the real ones creepy). Anyway, I turned them over and found the brand name: "Gina B. designs." Don't worry, I know that my initials are GR, but my maiden name starts with a B. Crazy, right? I decided this was a good enough excuse to buy them.

(Glade might've broken an expensive glass lamp at the same store, but it wasn't his fault that the rocking chair he was sitting in knocked the lamp over when he stood up...needless to say, we probably won't be returning for some time).

#2. Glade and I had been dating for a few months when we decided to take the relationship to the next level...by making each other mix CD's. I know. At the time we had a running joke in which Glade would answer most questions I asked him with: "Pretty good, not too bad." I tried to explain why this redudant answer was unacceptable, and so he began using the phrase just to annoy me. Thinking of mix titles, like blog titles, is a real headache, but I was pretty pleased with the title I came up with. Imagine my surprise when Glade handed over the mix with practically the same title as mine. And that's when I knew we were meant to be together. Until I heard the mix...only joking--Glade has superior taste in music.

#3. So this isn't exactly a coincidence, but I've been wanting to share it anyway. One night (a long time ago) my older sister Stacy and I were eating ice cream at a place called Charlie's in Logan. We glanced out the window and noticed a traveling carnival set up in the mall parking lot, and decided to try a few rides.
The next time the carnival came to town we went for tradition's sake, and because who doesn't love a traveling carnival? We went in the afternoon when only the carnie folk were there, and so we were the only people on a ride called the Ring of Fire. It was a good thing too, because as soon as the ride started Stacy started freaking out and screaming hysterically. I, on the other hand, was laughing hysterically. The ride was a continuous circle and every time we'd pass the guy running the ride Stacy would scream, "Stop!" So our ride wasn't as long as anticipated, but I get to make fun of Stacy to this day. When the carnival came to Jackson this summer I was sure to take a picture of a certain ride.

#4. I often happen to finish a journal around the same time a big life change is about to take place, like moving or starting school or a new job.

#5. Since we met near the end of the summer, I never got a chance to go on a date with Glade before we returned to our different colleges. I told him I had a friend named Kristen who was going to BYU-I, so I would see him when I came to visit her. But I got a job that had me working every weekend, and didn't make it up to Rexburg as soon as I hoped to. One night I got a call from Kristen saying a girl on her volleyball team was setting her up on a date with her brother...turns out the brother was Glade! So Kristen got to go on a date with Glade before I did.

#6. Glade and I are both third to youngest in our families, our names start with 'G', and we both claim that Les Miserables is our favorite book.

#7. I saved the best for last. Glade and I share the same middle name (Rumpelstiltskin), have both been in the witness protection program, and found out we have the same grandpa. Who would've thought?

Where did summer go?

2009-09-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

August was designated visit-Gina-and-Glade-in-Jackson month. Yay! We had lots of fun with family and friends. The weather was kind enough to dip into the fifties when my family came, and I was pretty near devastated when the Tetons were completely obscured by clouds. But as my little brother Matt said, "We came to see you guys, not the nature."

What is it with boys and skipping rocks?

My parents at Jenny Lake

The West's most photogenic barn (Glade wasn't too happy when my sixteen-year-old brother grew taller than him)

Glade's parents rafting on the Snake

I'm glad this lady didn't fall out of the raft in an effort to stay out of the picture.

Phelp's Lake

Phelp's Lake overlook with Jake and Bre Dutson

Glade doesn't always feel like having his picture taken...

...neither do I.

We got tired of traditional poses

Happy September!

Summer Misc.

2009-07-27T19:28:00.000-07:00

This is our casa. The whole thing. Okay, only the little appendage on the left side. But we love it. Well, we do not love that is has a very sensitive indoor sprinkler system, in case of a fire. Last week I woke up to the fire alarm (Glade was making toast...a little too toasty), and I've never gotten up faster. I was out of bed and fanning the alarm in .008 seconds, terrified that we and all of our belongings would shortly be under water. Luckily we quieted the alarm before the sprinklers caught on.

The view from our back patio.

The optimistic, cleverly cropped view of our back patio

Are we the only people who have yet to master the skill of taking pictures of ourselves and actually capturing whatever it is we're posing in front of?

A few weeks ago we went on a hike near Togwotee pass (pronounced TOW-GUH-TEE. What?) and a place called Brooks Lake. We found the hike, to Jade Lake, in a book that categorized it as easy. I'm beginning to think that Ms. Woods (the book's author)and I have different ideas of 'easy'. Okay, it wasn't too bad. It was a stunning hike, and worth the effort. I was startled/pleased to find that Jade Lake was actually jade-colored.

After reaching Jade Lake we hiked on to a less impressive lake--I don't even remember the name of it. When we got back to Jade Lake all the other hikers had disappeared, and everything seemed eerily quiet. My first thought was: Bear. Or more like: Bear! We started hiking quickly, and even more quickly when we came upon the bottom half of a deer leg in the middle of the trail. After deciding it was fresh (there's no way we could have missed it on the way), we started singing/whistling/preparing for imminent death...joke. We soon caught up with some other hikers, and took a short cut down the mountain. When we reached the safety of an open meadow, with our car in sight, Glade regretted that he had not taken a picture of the leg. You're welcome, for sparing you all.

I forgot to mention the mosquitoes that accompanied us on the hike. I've never seen so many in my life! We practically bathed in repellent, which helped some. Still, it was worth it, for views like the one above.

The Oh-So-Grand Tetons

We Heart Grand Teton National Park

2009-06-29T12:59:00.001-07:00

Coyote Gulch--OR-The Condemned Canyon

2009-06-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

I spent much time preparing a post about our recent backpacking trip to southern Utah (AKA the trip-gone-wrong) and apparently the trip wasn't the only thing bound to go wrong. Everything got erased before I could post it! Sigh. So because I don't have the heart (or time) to rewrite everything, you now get the somewhat condensed version.

The 'highlights':

-Finding the 40-mile 'dirt' road to the trail head, with the help of persistent rain, had turned into a mud/clay road. Thank goodness the other group we were with had four-wheel-drive and a tow rope.

-Using tarps as make-shift shelter since, oops, we didn't bring tents.

-Rain. All night. And the river became rushing--I honestly thought there was going to be a flash flood! (My little brother Matt, who wasn't lucky enough to be under a tarp, looked like he'd showered in his clothes by the time morning came). Needless to say, we slept very little that night.

-Waking up to a) wonder how we'd ever fallen asleep, b) find waterfalls spilling off the canyon walls, and streams running through our camp, c) discover that the river had indeed risen insane amounts, meaning we were stuck in the canyon.

-That afternoon the river finally lowered enough to attempt crossing. We ran into several groups with the same idea that we had: get out! This part was actually really cool, because everyone worked together to help each other out of the canyon. The guys would hold a rope at either end of the river for everyone to hold onto while crossing in water that was sometimes above our waists.

-Since all of our gear was soaking we had little choice but to hike out, two days earlier than planned. The 40-mile road that was bad on the way in had only gotten worse. It took over four hours to traverse those 40 miles! My dad did an awesome job driving--and that means a lot coming from the world's most nervous passenger (me).

-We finally emerged onto a paved road just after midnight. Thanks to Memorial Day weekend, all the hotels were sporting NO VACANCY signs. So we drove three more hours before we found a hotel with a couple of rooms.

-We didn't get any pictures of the disastrous moments, because we didn't want to ruin our camera, so although these pictures look like everything went swimmingly, you now know better! Despite all the craziness, we had fun. It was a very memorable adventure.

Sorry the condensed version turned out to be not so condensed.

Despite an inadvertant scenic detour, we made it...

2009-05-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

I cut my hair! Well, I didn't cut it, but I got it cut. You know what I mean.

Glade wants to get a tattoo like this on his finger. I said no.

Here's our kitchen that doubles as a family room. It feels gigantic after our last kitchen. Now I have no excuse not to cook.

The other side of the kitchen and the lovely view from the front window. I spend a lot of time on that lawn since we don't get cell phone reception inside. It's all very primitive.

Our quaint-as-can-be cabin. We're staying here in Hoback Junction for a few weeks until Glade's company finishes building some apartments closer to Jackson.

More of the view, including the crystal clear Hoback River. Right.

I knew there was a reason I held onto my Teton County Library card...

2009-05-13T13:49:00.000-07:00

We're going to work in Jackson Hole this summer! I thought I'd be living in Logan for my first summer in four years, but alas, life has other plans for us. Glade and I are excited to spend a summer in the place where we met. We didn't get to know each other until the end of summer 2005, so I never felt like we got to experience Jackson together. I'm glad we get the chance!

I GRADUATED!!!

2009-05-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

Now what am I supposed to do???

Blast from the (recent) past

2009-03-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

I finally, finally, finally transferred my digital pictures from my parent's computer to my zip drive. The activity inspired me to take a jog down memory lane. Old pictures are better than no pictures, right?

The night we got engaged

My apartment in San Anontio

Glade & Rupurt (a gnome of the garden variety)

Ty & Matt constructed this oasis a few winters back

We completed this puzzle on one of our

more ambitious days

Mmmm

Proof that Jon's hair was once longer than mine

I don't know what possessed me to pose for this

picture. All I can say for myself is that I had recently

watched Somewhere in Time.

If I ever decide to live on a beach, I'll probably

pick this one.

Carter and Madi when they were small enough

to bathe in the sink!

Bizarro Gilmore Girls

2009-01-07T12:29:00.000-08:00

So I've never actually watched the show Big Love, but I did walk past the cover of one of the seasons on DVD at Hastings, and noticed that the characters look like bizarro Gilmore Girl characters! So I hope you enjoy bizarro Rory, Paris, and Lorelai. (If you have never watched Gilmore Girls, you should start).

Then Glade figured out there really were other fish in the sea...

2008-11-13T15:24:00.000-08:00

My Dad and Glade went fishing in Bear Lake.
Between the two of them they caught this guy--okay, technically the line attached to the boat caught him. I think he's huge, but apparently this brand comes much bigger. I'm just glad I didn't have to eat him! What makes me so sure it's a him....

The Best Things About This Summer

2008-10-25T15:38:00.000-07:00

Contrary to what our blogging status suggests, we are alive. We do not, however, have anything exciting to report. I guess there is that house plant I've kept alive since mid-summer; I clipped my fingernails the other day; we finally printed AND framed some wedding photos (ten months later...talk about ambitious! )
But life back in Logan has been fun--especially since the weather has been unseasonably warm this week. Glade beat me mercilessly in bowling last weekend, and per our bet, I was stuck making the bed every day this week. On a brighter note, we finally patched up the raft that we never named, and hiked with it through a bit of snow to Bloomington Lake, in Idaho. My dad was astonished when he found out we hadn't worn life jackets, because with the temperature of the water, falling in might have meant imminent death, preceded by hypothermia. But we survived, and didn't even get charged by a moose (for some reason I had the foreboding notion this was going to happen, and the sign at the trail head did nothing to alleviate my concern). I guess I'll finish up with some pictures of the best things about this summer, because although I like (possibly even love) fall, I am homesick for summer. In no particular order...

Going to Jenny's wedding in San Diego

The Schuylkill River

This little reminder about world peace

So this menacing statue at the Philadelphia Zoo wasn't really one of my favorite things about this summer, but I didn't feel like it could be overlooked. I wonder how many nightmares it has induced... Ocean City, New Jersey

I heart green

Seth, the adorable boy I got to babysat, and was tempted to kidnap on more than one occasion. By the way, he recently went to Paris. That's right, a not-even-one-year-old beat me to Paris! Life is so not fair.

Washington, D.C.

2008-08-11T12:10:00.001-07:00

I was so excited to see my old last name AKA maiden name on the way to D.C. I bet you can't guess where Bladensburg road leads to. (Answer: Bladensburg, Maryland). I still think Glade should've taken my name and become Glade Bladen.

A unique angle of the very tall Washington Monument, taken with Glade's artistic eye.

We stopped by to see George at the White House but for some reason he didn't want us past this big black gate, and put armed men on the roof to make sure we stayed put. Hmmm. Guess we'll have to catch dinner next time we're in town.

The Smithsonian Museums are awesome for several reasons, but ever the tight wad, my favorite is that they are FREE!
The Air and Space Museum brought out the kid in Glade.

The Natural History Museum brought out the weird in me. This big guy used to take up residence on Easter Island but he tipped over so we whisked him away to the U.S. This museum also had a really cool dinosaur exhibit and is home to the 45.52 carat Hope diamond. (Pretty sure Glade is going to get buy it for me for our anniversary.)

In truth, the reflection pool was full of duck feathers and surrounded with duck poop, but it sure looks pretty at sunset.

Don't tell the others, but Glade and I both agreed that Lincoln is our favorite president. The picture doesn't totally covey it, but this monument was extremely powerful.

I felt pretty special viewing this Van Gogh original until I did a little Google research and learned that Van Gogh painted 36 self portraits. Still. (I know only one of my ears is showing, but I promise they're both there).

Glade hanging loose by the Washington Monument. Did you know there's an elevator to the top? We didn't, which means we didn't get tickets in time to ride it. However we did listen in on a guided tour for a few minutes and heard a story about a congressman who caught a baseball dropped from the top of the monument (on his fifteenth try) and won $500.

Downtown Philadelphia

2008-07-21T12:22:00.000-07:00

This is the room in Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed and the Constitution was adopted. The only authentic thing besides the building is that big brown chair, which held the bum of none other than the father of our country, George Washington. Sadly, they didn't let us sit in it.

Liberty Bell. Been there, rung that.

We didn't actually eat breakfast with Ben.

This display was in the Freedom Museum we stumbled upon. The kids are made from jelly beans and the background is fake butterflies that mechanically fluttered. It had a real trippy affect.

Need I say more?

July?

2008-07-08T16:48:00.000-07:00

I'm a hypocritical blogger, and acknowledging it is the first step to recovery. I get really impatient when people don't update their blogs, but rarely update my own. Sorry. I'll try to recall a few of the things that made June memorable.
In no particular order...
1) I got bit by a dog (a poodle, nonetheless!) entering the elevator at my apartment complex. The owner wasn't concerned in the least. "He's just playing." His playfulness broke the skin. Ouch. It was more of a scratch than a bite, but I milked it for all it was worth. I'm hoping it will scar.
2) I went to my friend Jenny's wedding in San Diego. She looked beautiful, although I didn't take any pictures of her on the actual wedding day to document it. It was kind of crazy flying from the east coast to the west coast, and I've decided two layovers is never a good idea. I got to explore Old Town SD with my friend Bergendi. We consumed much saltwater taffy.
2.5) Discovered pandora.com. It will change your life.
3) There's a family of ducks that inhabit the sidewalk and river near our apartment, twenty three in all--I counted. They all seem to get along really well.
4) Glade accdientally ran over an unidentified rodent on the way home from church. It scared me so bad I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I kept saying, "It was an accident. You didn't mean to!" But I think it was me, not Glade, who needed the reassurance.
5) I saw my first fireflies! Sensational. Why don't they come to the west?
6) Rediscovered Golden Grahams. Mmmmm.

New York, New York

2008-06-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

I learned how to post pictures! Not in a very organized way, but still. It's so green here in Philadelphia! To the left is the Schuylkill River that runs next to our apt. I'm jealous of the people who ride past on jet skis. Below is a picture I took on the jogging trail. I thought the trail was heaven on earth until I started hearing stories of people finding ticks in their hair after using it. Ugh. Apparently lyme disease is quite prevalent here. Wish me luck.

We got to spend a day in NYC. It was awesome! We arrived via train so when we walked up out of the subway we were in the middle of the city. Almost immediately a chanting homeless man started throwing trash at us, but we survived that little adventure. We saw a small portion of Central Park, the Statue of Liberty (from a distance), and Ground Zero. Glade and I nearly got separated on the subway...those doors wait for no one!

It looked even cooler in person

2008-06-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia, PA

2008-05-28T07:22:00.001-07:00

I know that a blog without pictures is like...oreos without cream, Bert without Ernie, summer without watermelon. But I currently have no way to get pictures on here,and so you get: text. Sorry. Philadelphia is great. Our apartment complex is right next to the beautiful Schuylkill River (if you have any idea how to pronounce that, let me know). The river's so big that people jet ski and boat in it. On the other side of the complex there's a paved biking/jogging trail (don't forget roller blading, it seems to be really big out here. Who knew?). In one direction the trail winds into Valley Forge National Historic Park and in the other it heads 23 miles into downtown Philly. I lucked out and a position in the APX office opened up, so I'm officially starting work tomorrow. Glade's doing great with selling and always comes home with interesting stories. The only other significant occurence is the ridiculous sunburn I got a few days ago. Oops. Every summer I think my skin is invincible, and every year I'm reminded that it's not.

My Sincerest Apologies

2008-04-29T20:38:00.001-07:00

Not to flatter myself into thinking people actually look at my blog, but in case you do, I'm sorry that it looks like my marriage was the end of my life. Truth be told, I don't know how to update my blog on my own. Please consider this site under construction until I take the time to learn how to be a true blogger.

Gina & Glade Married! December 20th, 2007

2007-12-26T16:00:00.000-08:00

A much needed update

2007-11-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

Thanks for all the helpful votes! I finally decided on dress number one. The wedding day is quickly approaching and the plans are going great. This weekend is Evan's blessing so we're having fun with the family in Vernal.

Dress 2

2007-09-14T19:30:00.001-07:00

Dress 1

2007-09-14T19:26:00.001-07:00

Wedding Dresses

2007-09-14T08:36:00.000-07:00

I can't decide which dress I like more! Please help me decide!