Memorial Day

Hey, I hope everyone had a good memorial day weekend.  The summer recreation program that I'm going to work in doesn't start for another week, so I'm enjoying this time with Sam before we both start work.  Sam is shadowing a doctor this week, so Monday we decided to have fun and have a mini hike up the Embudo canyon to have lunch.

We then headed over to my parents' house to enjoy a BBQ.  I had fun snapping photos, so I'm sorry!

My parents bought a new grill that day and my dad and Sam had fun putting it together

Heidi's kiddos modeling for me!

Kayla took this pic.  Pretty awesome!

Then Devery and her kids came!

I want my kids to be as adorable and chunky as Noelle!

Trying on my parents' shoes

Playing with blocks

 It was a fun day and I'm very thankful for those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Please Pray for Sam

He's taking the MCAT tomorrow!  Thanks!

Solar Eclipse

For the 2012 solar eclipse, Albuquerque happened to be one of the few places in the world that you could see the full eclipse.  How often does that happen?  My parents invited Sam and I to go see it at my aunt and uncle's house, where another one of my uncles set up a telescope.  My parents also bought those solar glasses so you can stare at the sun safely.  It was pretty darn awesome.  Sam got a few pictures on his iPhone through the telescope.

At my aunt and uncle's house

The beginning:

Almost time!

The Ring of Fire!

Don't know when I could experience something like this again.  

Summer Time!

Summer is here for us!  We did really well this semester, but are sooo glad it's over.  It was a killer semester for Sam and I'm glad to have my husband back.  These are the things occupying our summer.

Sam takes the MCAT in a little over a week and is studying hard.  To study we're having to buy old MCAT tests online each day for $35 a piece.  It's worth it, right?

I have a summer job, but I'm not sure when and where I will be working for another two weeks.  I hope it's still at the same elementary school I'm working at right now!  Sam is going to work also at his old nursing job, but he's taking a break for MCAT studying and is going to shadow a doctor somewhere else for a letter of recommendation to medical school.

Sam also signed up for a summer course in July so he can receive his double major in Chemistry and Spanish.  I didn't realize how expensive summer courses are!  But I have to get used to these expenses especially for medical school.

We're coming up on a year of being married.  Best year of my life!

In June my family is hoping to go to a beach house down in Mexico and is inviting us to come along.  I've been to that beach house before and it is really nice.  It will be fun having Sam down there with me because not only is he my best friend, but he speaks Spanish!  It will make grocery shopping more fun.

Lastly, I have a new calling in church!  It surprised me, but I'm up for the challenge to be the first counselor in the primary presidency!  Sam still is executive secretary and second counselor in the stake Sunday school.  We also work at the temple once a month.  Busy busy busy!!

To celebrate summer, I photoshopped some photos to give them a more summer glow.  Let me know what you think.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Yay for summer!!  Do you have any plans for the summer?

Weird Al

Yesterday I got a text from Sam. "Tonight we're going to have a date!"  Naturally I was excited, but I had no idea what he had in mind.  Well, Jared and Jenny won tickets to see Weird Al and invited us!  I grew up on his songs and movie UHF.  It was an awesome date, especially for a last minute one.  We sat near to the front (but nothing compared to Jared and Jenny's seats).  I apologize for the photos...they aren't the greatest...

The show was pretty hilarious. Some songs were better than others, but I couldn't stop laughing at his song "Wanna B Ur Lovr".  He loved creeping all the ladies out by saying ridiculously cheesy pick up lines and making his moves on them.  

 He played some of our favorites: White and Nerdy, Amish Paradise, Eat It, Fat, and The Saga Begins!!  What kind of world would we be without Weird Al?  A sad, pitiful one, that's for sure.  A girl we knew that we saw at the concert thought Sam must have dragged me along because I didn't seem the type to be a Weird Al fan.  But who doesn't like a song parody about the Amish?

 Thank you Jared and Jenny for being so awesome!  Now excuse us while we go watch some Star Wars.

It Does Get Better

I've been wanting to post something for a while, but couldn't find much to post about, so this will be a post full of random things.

First: My birthday was over a month ago, but I wanted to thank everyone for the awesome birthday phone calls, e-mails, gifts and fun!  What's funny is that Sam's "birthday" was celebrated in both of our families as well.  We got a wii from Sam's parents (!!) and the best wii game ever Just Dance from Jess and Seb.  Thank you!!  Also, I got a pretty necklace from Jared and Jenny that I get compliments about every time I wear it.  Thank you, too!  From my parents we got tickets to see Lion King in Popejoy in October.  Woohoo!

From Sam I got a keyboard!  But really, all I asked from him was cheesecake, home-made cake batter ice cream (it's easier than I thought), Swedish fish and NO HOMEWORK!  It was a good birthday and I'm happy to be 20. :)

Second: I started my job with the City of Albuquerque and so far I feel lucky I got it.  Something like 10,000 applicants?  I get to be in a recreation program after-school at an elementary school and it's fun getting to know the kids and speaking my 102 Spanish to them.  What's even nicer is that it's ridiculously close to Sam's work so in the summer it will be very convenient with our one car.

Third: I came across this video and thought it was very interesting and inspiring.  It does get better even at BYU!

I think that is all.  Have a wonderful Easter weekend!!!

Grand Canyon 2012

Spring Break is gone!!

It went by so fast for us and it was busy busy.  But lots of fun and adventure.  We decided to go backpacking in the Grand Canyon with Sam's family.  As my sister said, if there's anyone that can get me to backpack in the Grand Canyon, it's Sam.

Day 1:

We drove out of Albuquerque around 7 and arrived to the South Rim.  Sam really really wanted to take our massive, fancy camera and took over a 1000 photos!  It was hard to pick some.  We got there in the afternoon and were ready to go!  Here are the members of the troop:

Super Mama

Mr. Miso

Our Personal Mule and Photographer

Pink Shoes

Speedy Gonzales

Our view of the Grand Canyon at the top before trekking South Kaibab:

 

Our troop again:

 

Going down the trail

Our outlook

Crazy Switchbacks

It's nice to know it's a little safer here

Colorado River is so green (picture doesn't do it justice)

How I got pink shoes:

The hike down really hurt our knees and toes!  We wanted to get to Bright Angel before it got dark, and we barely did it!  When we were able to get to the bottom, the campsite we picked was closest to the bathrooms (with running water!)  It was both a pro and con: surprisingly a lot of people like to go in the middle of the night.  Sam and I crashed, but everyone else went to the Phantom ranch and got to see a fox, ring-tailed cat, and some mule deer.  Jealous!

Day 2:

Sammy got a cold!  He was sooo miserable that it made this day the least favorite for the both of us.  We packed up and headed to the Cottonwood campgrounds.

Ready to go!

On the way out we saw lots of mule deer:

The squirrels were cute...or so we thought....

Sammy got an Alfalfa strand of hair going

Sam's pack was only 40 pounds, but it looked a lot heaver!

 Pretty picture Sam took

Fuzzy caterpillar Mama Hobbs found

We had to cross a river; Sam was the hero

We made it to Ribbon Falls

These two were brave enough to venture into the cave

It was that cold

It even had a window!

Ah, memories of when Sam was separated from his parents last time

I liked Cottonwood because there were a little less people and the porta-potties were the nicest I've ever been in, but Bright Angel wins for wild life, shade, and less bugs.

Day 3:

It was hard to find a campsite with shade, so we headed over to the "suite" campsite (you had to have more than 7 people to occupy it) to play games and rest up before the trek out.  Sam's mom took some Benadryl and was out while Sam was trying to get over his cold.  I just supported them by taking a long nap as well. 

The squirrel that kept coming back for food

There's the hubba, the hubba hubba,

 and our blue tent that might collapse any moment.

Day 4:

We headed back to Bright Angel.  The hike was a lot less tedious than the time before!  Sam was a lot better and we even beat some scouts that left before we did.

A pair of boots found on the side of the trail

Phantom Ranch.  You could buy a steak dinner at the bottom of the 

Grand Canyon for $40.  There were even laundry facilities!

Enjoying our last night

Sam found the bench was more comfortable than his own bed

There was a beach at the bottom of the Grand Canyon that was so awesome!  The water was beautiful (and cold) and the sand was so smooth and felt good under my feet.  I should have kicked myself for not bringing the camera, but Jared had some good shots.  When we got back to our campsite, Sam and I forgot to completely close our food boxes and squirrels did not hesitate to eat some of our snacks!  A full thing of Ramen noodles and our beloved oatmeal creme pies were gone.  The squirrels even took some bites out of Jared's tent!  Those Darn Squirrels!  We went to Phantom Ranch at night to have bagels and hot chocolate.  We wanted to see some wild life, but all I saw were some bats that flew around to eat the bugs (thanks bats!)

Day 5:

Sam and I woke up at 3am Arizona time: we were ready to head out!  Good thing we did, because we got to our place around 9pm by the time the day was through.  It was pretty dark, and I was the only one without a headlamp, so I went by Papa Hobbs' light.  Thank you! I kinda wish we could see some of the Grand Canyon...it sounded pretty.  At one point we crossed a more rickety bridge to cross the Colorado river in the dark...that was a little scary.  Jared was so fast!  He was half an hour ahead of the rest of us before he stopped at Indian Gardens to wait for some of us. 

Hiking the unknown

Can you tell how grueling the uphill was?

The blue "condor" (wish we saw a real one)

Stepping aside for the mules (were these people smarter than us?)

Super icy at the top!

We made it!  Up and out in 5 1/2 hours.  Impressive.

Our main motivation getting out:

Really fun trip.  Great challenge, but I'm quite happy with a shower and a comfy bed.  Hope you had a good week!