My blessing

I am a blessed woman. I know I say that a lot, but I have to, because it is true. God has given us, people, all different gifts that produce fruit...some encourage, some organize, some disciple...oh how the list goes on. I believe that God blessed my husband Nick with a very special and unique gift I like to call "the Andi interpreter" gift. Recently I feel as though I have been a little bit more "on edge" than usual. Now I certainly don't mean lashing out at random people in the street...hopefully I have more inner poise than that. I just mean, there are times when I know I could be taking the higher road than the one I am on. Perhaps it is the holiday craze and the vast excitement that stems from it. Perhaps it is my small business start up frustration (I am not a detailed person and starting a business requires details). Perhaps it's my tendency to cram way too much into an hour, a day, a weekend, a week...then suffer later. In any way, due to my "edginess" Nick always seems to get the brunt of it. Now cue the part about me being blessed because of God's given gift to Nick. When everyone else would start running for the hills, Nick stands strong by my side. He turns up the Andi interpreter and helps me through my freak outs. The challenging thing about me (and hopefully everyone else in the world, just so I can feel normal) is each freak out requires a different solution to get back to normalcy. This is the tough part, where most people could potentially have a failing record. Whether my need is to be alone for a while or have a hug or to talk it out with while receiving not an ounce of advice or talk it out with many solutions solicited by him or exercising or baking or laughing or not laughing...no matter what...he just knows what to do. Ok, now, please know that I am not wearing my rose colored glasses (OK, they may be a very, very light shade of pink...but I think that's alright, he is my HUSBAND after all...hello!!!! Life-Long commitment required). Believe me, we have had to work through our fair share of "difficult conversations" to put it lightly. But as time has passed and debriefing arguments has progressed, he has learned at an unfathomably high rate what to do the next time something happens. Nick having this gift has relieved me tremendously...and in a way given me so much freedom as a person. Sounds funny, but it's true. Bouncing back faster out of a funk, a hard day, a stressful situation, trying times, etc...could be one of the best gifts he could give me. It has also allowed me to open up and say some hard stuff so I can grow more as a person. God also gave him the gift of challenge. He practices on me all the time and for that I am thankful.
I'm not sure how you will interpret this blog, but I suppose this was my outward expression of my inner reflection for 2007. Discovering that because of our marriage, I have never been so happy in whole life. That I thank God for blessing me with a man whom I can laugh and play with...who actually "gets" me and who challenges me to be a better person. I could go on...but I think you get the point.
Life is so short...I choose to drink in life with a full glass. What about you?
Happy New Year to you all!

A life lesson taught by the Food Waste men

I experienced a great gift today and wanted to share.
Every other Wednesday morning, I walk with Nick to the garage, then split off to take the recycling, food waste and trash bins to the curb for pick up. We always seem to have a really full food bin, filled with leaves, grass clippings or in this case a whole bunch of Pizza Hut boxes that Nick brought home from work after a company lunch (they were going to throw away the boxes, and my Green husband was not about to have that! Little tip: You can put food-soiled paper/cardboard in the food bin). There was very little room left in the food bin, but I noticed that our storm water ditch was packed full of leaves. I decided to grab the rake and cram what little amount of leaves I could into the bin. After about 2 minutes of this (please note that I am in still in my pajama-esk clothes) I was breaking out in a mild sweat. Raking leaves out of a steep trench, on wet, uneven grass is no easy feat. I soon had some great piles of soggy, wet, worm infested leaves piling. It was so satisfying! To my great dismay, I heard a loud vehicle coming my way. Reluctantly, I looked up and saw the food bin recycle truck backing up towards me. Frantic mode set in. I scrambled to pick up the muddy leaves by the arms full...hoping it would all fit. Soggy water was dripping all over me, flinging onto my face, but I couldn't stop...I could see the two men approaching. Soon enough...they arrived. I greeted them with a warm, "I really am not THAT crazy" smile and hello! We exchanged a few kind words as they patiently waited for me to finish filling up my bin. I thanked them profusely, then they drove off. Knowing how busy trash/recycle people can get, I was honored that they took the time to wait for me and even chat a bit. I also praised the Lord for His excellent timing, since I had a whole other trench to clean out and now I had an empty bin! I went at my task vigorously...there were 5 times as many leaves on that side and they were heavy. These leaves seemed even more caked in mud and grime and I thought perhaps this time I will run into the garage and get some gloves. Just as that thought happened, another loud vehicle approaching. Must be the plastic recycle truck I thought. I continued on my work and with a quick glance I discovered the same two men walking towards me again. "It's a slow day and we thought we would whip around the block one more time to take more of your leaves." Due to the shock and deep appreciation of these men, I aggressively dove into the slimy leave pile once again and started throwing them into the bin. Again...mud was flying all over; sogging my arms and sleeves, but I couldn't slow down...I wanted them to see how grateful I was by working quickly. One of the men helped me by grabbing the rake and re-piling the leaves as I grabbed them. I kept on thanking them and saying random things, like how great team work is, and sunny days make it easier to work and who knows what else. I kept on wishing that I had baked something yesterday so I could show my gratitude...but alas, they only got one hundred thank yous and "a have a nice day!" Once they left I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. I was suddenly overcome by an overwhelming feeling of joy. Then my daily lesson hit me: Slowing down in life can make such a big difference...especially if it is for other people. It helped me mentally re balance this busy time of year, filled with errands to run and gifts to buy and events to go to. I realized that perhaps the best gift I have to give is my time and attention, and by slowing down.

Thanksgiving Break

Family photo with Brea and newly purchased frisbee golf disks.

Ahhh...Thanksgiving. A time for family, food and a good Frisbee Golf tournament. What? That's not normal? Well it wasn't for us either, until this year.

Carrying on the Lopez tradition on Thanksgiving day...my mom created a feast to please a king. From ham to pot roast, sausage stuffing to corn casserole, pecan pie to pumpkin, we were all rolling in a food coma for hours after the feast. I am absolutely baffled by the Quantity and Quality of my mother's cooking...Ami and I ponder why we aren't fighting to lose an extra 300lbs gained through childhood (an easy feat if you have tasted her cooking). My cousins LeAnne and Lauren flew in for the weekend and joined the gathering; a treat even more so than the food before us. All 15 of us caught up, chatted and shared stories late into the evening.

The following day, my adoring husband had the genius idea of walking off some of those "extra bites" and "just one mores" through a game of Frisbee Golf. We rounded up the Evans and Davis clan and headed out. Just 5 miles from our home is a 48 "basket" course, with varying levels of experience; from amateur (me, me and me) to professional (just about everyone else). Just a little history here, I am not the hugest fan of said game. Begrudgingly (by me of course) Nick and I have ventured out to the course here in Bellingham and when it's my turn to tee off, somehow the disk somehow lands BEHIND me half the time. Needless to say, Frisbee Golf is not my sport. However when there are 11 of my favorite people all gathered together, how can I resist? Then when my 18 year old cousin Matthew rolled up with a carrier bag, I knew I was in trouble. He had multiple drivers, mid-range and putters...all different colors, full of "integrity." (Matthew taught me a lot that day). Our fearless leader obviously had high expectation for his followers as he guided us off to tee #1 of the PROFESSIONAL course. Matthew started us off. I wish you could have seen him throw...it was a work of art. Then Lauren (cousin) stepped up (also carrying a disk holder) and the whaled it. Then Nick...it flew. Then out of no where, brother in law Matt, chucked it like it ain't no thang. Unbelievable. I was shaking in my timbers, mostly because I didn't want to injure the spectators standing behind me. Thankfully it flew forward, only to hit a tree 15 feet away and went tumbling to the ground. Luckily, I wasn't the only one...a few family members (names withheld of course) were on the same par as me (no pun intended).

I'll spare you gruesome details of our 2 hour game and sum it up by saying shockingly enough each one of us walked away with all extremities, no concussions (I dare you to play with 11 people and not get smacked in the face with a flying disk) and bellies ready to be full once again with Thanksgiving leftovers.

The Lopez family had so much fun, we ventured out again after church on Sunday (following a 45 minute pit stop at JOE'S for new disks) and played another round.

So go ahead...buy a $7 disk and give it a whorl. I guarantee you will be better than me!

Shot of Nick half-way successful at beating the photo timer..I couldn't resist.

The feast that mom (and others) created.

The fam after the meal (well...2/3 of it anyways)

The joy of brushing

I LOVE brushing my teeth. For some reason, I have an unusual high need for that fresh, clean, shining smile whenever possible. This doesn't mean that I carry my tooth brush everywhere I go, being sure to brush 100 strokes every hour on the hour. But I have been known to stop in the middle of a project (scrapbooking to chopping wood) to dash to the bathroom for a quick brush. What can I say? It is just really, really refreshing! Anyway, today was a day that all dental hygiene fanatics covet: Going to the Dentist! Due to the move to Bellingham, we were in need of all new doctors. So, I asked around and luckily got into Dr Clough's office (thanks Terps!). From the moment I walked in to the moment I stepped out with goodie bag in hand (4 things of floss AND a toothbrush!!!) my experience was nothing but exceptional. Not only were they incredibly personable and friendly, they were fully equip with state of the art X-Ray equipment which is totally digital, using 80% less radiation and no harsh chemical (for the processing). Then Scott (yeah, that's right...first name basis) came in to check up on the teeth. He complimented me on my their condition and I couldn't help but beam with satisfaction...the new Sonicare is really doing it's job! Then we dove into a ten minute conversation of just how can we motivate all people to pick up their brushes and go to town (at least TWICE a day). We decided that it is all about education...healthy dental hygiene starts right now...brushing in the morning and at night (that's only 5 minutes a day!). Then floss...yep, it takes 30 more seconds, but it is the best for preventing those roots from rotting and losing teeth at a younger age. We can't just walk in there at age 50 saying "fix my teeth," and expect them not to shake his head and say it's too late. Now, I certainly don't mean to be on my soap box making you feel guilty about your brushing habits if they need improvement. I just wanted to share how inspiring that appointment was for me to continue what I have been doing and not slack off (especially about wearing my retainer). Even when I am in transition from the comfy couch to our snugly bed, I will pull over in the bathroom for a quick brush and floss. It's worth it. Plus I would rather spend the money I am saving on other great things like shoes or hiking gear from not needing crowns, fillings or root canals. Oh and you already know that Nick will be right there behind me. His passion for brushing is a weeeeeee bit lesser than mine, but no worries, he's coming around. Especially since I learned that one person's poor mouth habits can influence even the most dedicated of brushers (when in mouth to mouth contact of course). Always a good pointer for you friends who are dating. I am sure it would fly as a first date question: "So...how often do you brush your teeth?" Fits right in right!
Now, get to brushing!

Figaro and Figgy

The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
Joel 2:22b

Saturday morning brought a great surprise to the Vann household. I woke up at a typical weekend time of 8am...ready to hit the day running. Nick and I had a list longer than Santa's packed with chores, errands, and really, really fun tasks like reading the Voter's Pamphlet so we can be educated voters. Woohoo!!! (you may detect just a hint of sarcasm there) Either way, I rolled out of bed and headed towards the kitchen. A few feet into this journey, I spotted a leaf in the hallway. This took me by great surprise considering the smallest crumb on the floor has a very short life span in our house. I looked a bit closer and realized this leaf was not brought in my a gust of wind...it had a purple sticky note on it with my husbands beautiful writing on it. I quickly demised that I had entered some rendition of a scavenger hunt. Commence the squealing: "Nick, Nick...there is a leaf in the hallway with a note on it!" Due to my excitement of the fun game I just stumbled upon, it didn't even register that stating the obvious to Nick was purposeless...obviously he was responsible for the leaf and was well in-the-know with what was going on. But because he is so wonderful, he just nodded and encouraged me to continue to through the series of notes. Each one created a leafy path through the living room, kitchen, mud room, then outside between the garage and house, to conclude in the side yard. Each leaf had a note just as the first...leading to some clue regarding "a treat that will come in the Spring, after a little TLC..." After picking up the last leaf, I looked up to find an adorable mini-fig tree planted in our yard (note: a very ugly and sad looking dead tree use to reside in this exact same spot). I was flooded with exhilaration for our new foliage as well as dumbfounded with adoration for Nick. You see, the last few months I have seem to be obsessed with figs. They have only recently been introduced to me, and I have felt like it was my personal mission to make up for the past 26 years of non-fig eating. From the Farmers market in San Fran to our delivery bin, I have been eating as many figs as I can get down. Since Nick was savvy to my new fruit addiction he decided to surprise me with two different species. We declared their names to be Figaro and Figgy and very much look forward to the fruit they will produce. That is, after I read all about them so I don't kill them off. Ahhh, I can just see the fig tarts cooling on the counter right now.


My leave notes (two wrapped in ziplocks to protect them from the rain...he's so cleaver!)

Figaro...the fig tree that my trail of leaves lead to.

Figaro even had paper fig cut-outs on him with "harvest related" quotes.

I planted Figgy yesterday...don't laugh, he may look a bit twiggy, but he will grow to be a beautifully LARGE fig producing tree!

Cooking Seasonally

For the past few weeks, Nick and I have been receiving an organic vegetable & fruit bin from Dandelion Organic Delivery (http://www.dandelionorganic.com/). Every other Tuesday a bin is delivered bursting with about 13 different varieties of local, fresh organic treats. I greatly anticipate its arrival each time...it is almost like Christmas! I open up the bin and squeal with delight (doesn't take much to excite me I guess). I pull out it's contents and begin to store it appropriately: butter lettuce, fingerling potatoes, snackjack pumpkin, fugi apples, figs, kale, sage, carrots, pluots, carnival acorn squash, fuyu persimmons and on and on and on. The purpose of receiving the bins are to diversify our fruit and veggie consumption. I felt as though we were in a rut...each trip to the grocery store would result in the same purchase: Apples, bananas, spinach, tomatoes and onion. We decided it was time to breath new life into our antioxidant supply. With each delivery, I am forced (happily) to prepare a more diversified meal. And I love it! It has been my personal mission to not only use every single thing before the new delivery shows up, but to branch out and try new recipes with (scary) new vegetables that I used to so easily pass up while walking up and down the isles of Fred Meyer. The great thing is, Dandelion Organic helps me with this. They provide an orientation flyer with each new bin. This gives a brief description of it's contents and a few recipes for the not-so-common veggie...things like dandelion greens and fennel. So the last few weeks our dinner table has seen: Horta, Braised Bok Choy, Sauteed Mustard Greens and other great things that actually taste great!

Yesterday, I felt a calling to use the two pumpkins recently delivered, which only purpose thus far has been to decorate our home for the Fall. I cut into them, roasted the meat and the seeds in the oven, then just let it all sit there until I figured out what I wanted to do. I decided on Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli with Maple Sage Sauce; a recipe from last week's newspaper. So this morning I went to town in the kitchen; sauteing the meat with butter and garlic then stuffed each wonton wrapper (yeah that's right, I cheated and used a premade wrapper...I don't have to make everything from scratch!!!) with the contents. They are resting now...the sauce will come later.

I really love the whole system because we are feeding our bodies food packed with various antioxidants on a regular basis, we get to support local farmers, and I get to go grocery shopping less! You should give it a whorl if you can!

(The Kirkland. Bellevue, Seattle area also has an organic delivery program: http://www.ilovetiny.com/)

The Pumpkin mash on the wonton

It all sealed up

The final product...all 24 of them!

My workspace with the sun shining in!!

Steilacoom - Where Busy and Relaxing are the same thing

Life has been busy lately. From soccer games, welding classes, couples group, bible study, meetings with clients, recreating, entertaining guests, visiting friends, baking for events, household tasks, oh yeah, and spending time together..Nick and I have seemed to settle into a hectically wonderful Fall schedule. Last weekend we decided to head South for some R&R at the Lopez residence. I don't know what it is but something about my parent's house in Steilacoom brings me so much peace. Perhaps it is the absence of chores (although I do find myself sweeping or doing laundry once in a while) or needing to do anything on a set schedule. Either way, I warmly welcome the soothing it does for my soul.

Thanks to my mom's tremendous ability to keep our bellies full, we were energized for the weekend's festivities which included: A trip to Spooners Farm in Orting for a pumpkin hunting extravaganza, a walk around Chambers Bay Golf Course, a trip to Omas for a night of potato pancakes and good laughs. Church on Sunday at FourSquare in Puyallup, the mandatory, yet voluntary jog with Ami, baking in my parent's fantastic kitchen with a view of the Puget Sound...so on and so on. The Lopez clan doesn't get very much relaxing in...just a lot of precious memories during our scheduled events. However, this time around, I must admit that my favorite part of the weekend was watching TV with my sister at midnight. Since Nick and I don't have cable, indulging in "So you want to be the next Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader" was rather fun. There is nothing better than laughing at the ridiculousness of all the reality shows. Makes me look forward to the next trip home.

In the mean time we will keep up our busy schedules ourselves.

A recent trip to Bainbridge Island to visit friends Pete and Joy...check out the solar panels on the roof...stores enough energy to run a house and a farm.

My latest visit with Kristen and her baby Annabelle...Belle just turned 1!

The cakes I baked for the Young Life auction...Raspberry Layer Cake and Coconut Cake...YUM!

Ami and mom posing for a shot as they pick out the perfect fall decor.

Moab - the land of ants and floods...oh and biking too

Moab...finally, we had arrived. Out of all honesty, this was the true destination for our road trip adventure. Nick and I developed such fond memories the first time around, we were anxious to get back and see what was in store for us this time. Oh if only we would have known!

Driving in late as usual, we set up camp in the dark (agian) at our favorite primitive campsite in Hunter Canyon, watching the shooting stars through our screened tent. It felt like home again. In the morning we awakened to find piles of sand and washed out ledges in our site due to flooding that happened earlier in the week...apparently it had been a wetter season than usual. And as you know from the slot canyons, flash floods can do a lot of damage, especially to a sanded river bed. After deciding that it would take more work (shoveling the sand around) to construct a flat surface for our tent for the next 3 nights, we threw it on top of Subina and found a larger, non tampered with site.

Nick and I set diligently to our task of unloading the car so we could hit the trails for the first of four bike rides planned. Little did I know, the only trip I would be taking that day was a trip to the ER. While unloading the cooler, I felt an itch on my toe to discover a little red ant on it. Just before I could flick him off, the little sucker bit me. No problem, I thought...it stings, but I can handle it. Wrong! After 10 minutes, the pain got so intense I had to sit down and hold my toe. Soon there after, tears began to stream, and the psychotic-like rocking back and forth began. Now, I am a stubborn woman..."it will get better" I say..."it's just an ant." But after about a hour of this, we decided it was time to head to the doctor. After waiting for another hour in the hospital and displaying to any passerbyer the symptoms of ant bite (Lamaze-like deep breathing, crying hysterically into a pillow while hanging over the bed, crawling and readjusting every second of every minute to distract from the pain, lots of verbal, positive self talk..."it's ok, you can do it, doctor is coming soon, hang on....OOOOWWWWWWW!!!!!), the doctor showed up, exclaiming "I thought it was just an ant bite." It was just an ant bite I say, but feeling a 9.5 out of 10 on a pain scale is not JUST a regular old ant bite! After two very welcomed shots in the butt, an ice pack wrapped in an ACE bandage that made my foot look like it had a bulging tumor and a prescription for painkillers, we were on our way. No biking today...surprise, surprise. Instead, we had lunch and watched cheerleaders drive 4x4s wildly during a parade and shopped the strip. Kinda nice actually.

A mere 14 hours later, the pain in my toe subsided and biking was back on the agenda. We hit up Poison Spider (smart move based on the name and the events that happened the day before) and discovered on this 5 miles climb to the actual trial, we spent more time hiking our bike through the sand, than riding. Needless to say, the memories being made this trip were a bit different that our first go-around in Moab. But wait, there's more!!!!

That night, it began to rain. We foolishly ignored gut feelings of moving our camp location (don't ever ignore gut feelings) and woke to a 65' raging river a mere 50' from our campsite. I have you know, this was completely dry when we drove over it the day before. Yeah, that's right, it rained...ALL NIGHT. And due to the non-porous slickrock, a raging river was formed. Nick and I were optimistic in thinking that it would only take a few hours for it to simmer down, then a few more hours for the water soaked sand to dry up, leaving just enough time to head back to town and meet Josh and Annie (dear friends residing in Salt Lake City who just so happened to be in Moab also) for a quick hello. After a walk, a few games of scrabble, cribbage, lunch and packing up camp (AKA 10 hours later), the river was still rushing. We decided to walk towards town(skipping over the river by foot was possible thanks to large boulders) until phone reception kicked in to cancel our plans with Josh and Annie. To our great joy, a 1/2 mile into our long journey, a HUGE front load tractor came chugging down the gravel road. Victory!!! Nick and I high-5ed it and joyfully rushed back to camp to watch the action. Finally, an hour later the tractor operator helped us stranded folk by regrading the river floor to be about a foot deep...totally drive-able. With a boost, we made it free and clear and got to town just in time to meet our friends...another Victory! But due to the poor weather, they left town earlier than anticipated...hoping to meet up with us on our trek back to Washington. After our rough day we decided to treat ourselves to an ice cream cone and a motel for our last night's stay.

Sorry no pictures this time...my computer seems to be having some issues. Perhaps check later.

On the last day, we arose dry and caught a shuttle up to Porcupine Rim, a nice 9 mile descend with no climb...what a treat! It only took me 4 miles to get used to the rock and not wanting to forcefully throw my bike over the ridge. Again, Nick steps up to be the awesome man he is, telling me to "relax, we are here for fun...now do the funky chicken dance" right in the middle of the trail to boost my mood a little bit. IT worked and we hauled it down, even catching a little air when I could. Good times! We petaled 6 miles back to town, threw the bikes on top, got an oil change and headed to Salt Lake, then onward to Washington.

We had a brief, yet wonderful visit with the Pfriems. We thoroughly enjoyed getting a glimpse of their life in Salt Lake (home brew tour, checkin' out the garden, chatting with their friends), highlight including holding their adorable 10 month old baby girl, Sahale; living so contently in her bath robe, checking out the new visitors. Dang that baby is cute! We were also blessed to pick up a friend of the Pfriems who was Seattle-bound himself. Nick and I welcomed a third person for our 14.5 hour trip back up to Washington. Ryan diversified the conversation with stories of his travels in Spain to his aspirations of Mission work in Central America. It was sad to part ways in Seattle, but were refreshed by his passion for the Lord and the gifts he brings to those whom he encounters.

All in all, we had a great trip...many adventures and memories were made, but mostly, we were happy to be home again. We feel fortunate for that...we really do love our home and our life in Bellingham.

The Slots...and we're not talkin' Vegas here

Escalante...the land of slot canyons. I have always heard of slot canyons, but had yet to experience such deep, thin...well, slots in the earth, until we arrived in Escalante National Park. Previously, my parents shared wonderful stories about their time at Bryce Canyon...exploring the floors of canyons, hoping for the absence of flash floods. No kidding...if it rains within 100 miles of the canyon region, they recommend postponing your explorations until a clear forecast. Otherwise, raging water comes flooding into the base of the canyon floor, swooping you and your hiking mate to wherever the water runs. That is, after all, how the canyons form in the first place. So needless to say, as we were getting directions at the visitors center, I repeatedly asked for the forecast and the % chance of rain/thunderstorm/cloud coverings/mist/whatever...I was taking no chances, I would like to experience a few more things before I leave this fine earth. Due to the confirming tone of the young ranger that thunderstorms are predicted 2 days from then, I felt confident enough that we were alright. But really, who am I kidding, God could take me out in the parking lot if He really wanted to.

Because I married a man with a heart full of exploration, always craving the road less taken, Nick and I set out for Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyons. This is no stroll through canyon country. These two slots require flexibility, where claustrophobic are not encouraged to participate. After a 1/2 mile hike to our first slot, I understood why. Thin narrow sandstone tunnels paved our way deeper into the canyon. Twisting and turning, manipulating our bodies were the only way we could work our way through. There were many times that we had to hold our camel backs in our hands in order to fit past the tight spaces. Other times we had to press our backs to one side of the canyon and our feet to the other and shimmy our way down in order to keep up with the "drop offs" in the canyon floor. Besides keeping our eyes peeled for the rattlers (they like shade too) it was amazing to see the windy formations that A LOT of time and rushing water has created. The things that this earth has to see is limitless; each region being so different and unique. It was quite the sight to be seen. It also enhanced my appreciation for our tall fir trees here in Washington...hiking in the desert is HOT!

After that venture, we shook off our sandy bodies and hopped in the car. No more messing around on this road trip...it's Moab time!

The entrance into Peekaboo...

Working my way through the narrows

Nick shimming down...I think he would make an excellent Santa

"Chocolate shavings" as Nick likes to call them...really, mud dried up and crusty in the river beds.

St. George and Zion

After a hefty 9 hour drive and another night of setting up camp in the dark, Nick and I woke to towering peaks in Zion National Park. Just a few miles out of the park brings great bike riding on slick rock trial call Gooseberry Mesa; a 20 something mile loop trail of varied terrain taking you out to "The Point;" an amazing view of the red rock mesa garden! It felt good to be on Foxy, my new full suspension bike to see how she could perform on the sandstone. Must say she did a great job...if only I could have done as good of a job as she did. The great thing about road trips are opportunities for self discovery. My big lesson of the day: Due to my competitive nature (against myself of course, no one else) I have a hard time adjusting to a new environment if I am still getting used to something else. Little did I know, in just a few days I would have another HUGE "opportunity for growth" in Moab. Oh my poor, sweet, wonderfully patient husband...he has become a professional positive affirming motivator speaker with an audience of one on the trail...me. The man could basically write a book on how to keep your wife on a bike when all she wants to do is through it into the canyon and walk back to the car. Sounds like a good title. Anyways, (sorry about the tangent...I do love a good self discovery) we biked for a few hours, enjoyed the view, then hit the road yet again for next stop Escalante. Bring it on Slot Cannons...





The trail head... pumped for our first ride!

Typical "trail" in Utah...slickrock...very different from that trusty, single track dirt in good old Western Washington.

Classic foot shot from "The Point"

My Manimal so happy to be on his bike again!

Yosemite...us and the bears

After living it large in San Fran with such luxuries as a comfortable bed and hot, running water available at the turn of a knob, we set sail for more rustic adventure via Subina (our trusty Subaru) and our new Black Diamond tent. The goal for road trip #2 was to blend a few hot spots that are locked in our memories forever (Moab and Zion) with new destinations to mix it up a bit(Yosemite, St. George and Escalante). Yosemite was first on the docket. We lucked out by snagging up one of the last camp sites available in both the valley and toulamee meadows, although in hindsight I wonder why. Yes, Yosemite has majestic peaks and astounding waterfalls, but they also have bears. We were diligently warned that all food items (including wrappers, dirty cups and sunscreen) must be taken out of the car and into a bear bin provided in each campsite. Otherwise, an uninvited guest would be stopping by to rip off your car door and devour the left over goodies you so foolishly left behind. The good news is, we were left alone by the roaming bears (although, we did take part in banging pots and pans together to scare the hungry creatures off as they attempted to join us for dinner). The bad news is, Nick and I didn't look at each other once in the eye during our 2 night stay; rather we stayed committed to watching each other's backs so no fuzzy friends could join us. After that and nearly freezing temperatures at night, I was ready for the heat and to get on my bike...St. George/Zion here we come!

The view during our one and only hike in Yosemite...HUGE waterfall...this is only the base.

Get 'a steppin'...of this 7.5 mile hike, we only had to go up/down 1,300 steps.







Lounging at the top...always the best place for lunch and a nap.

That's right folks...get it while it's hot...the last campsite in the valley, fully equipped with it's own bear locker!

Our San Francisco Treat

View from Coit Tower













San Francisco here we come!
Nick and I recently ventured out on a 12 day road trip; Destination: San Fran, Yosemite, St. George, Escalante, Moab and Salt Lake City. Thought I would post a few pics (yeah, that's right, I'm learning slowly but surely how to utilize this blog) for your viewing pleasure. Up first San Fran!

My beloved friend James acted as host, tour guide and photographer extraordinaire for the 48 hour stay Nick and I enveloped while in San Fran. As a 3 year native to the 7x7 mile peninsula, James has been encouraging me and all of his friends to come visit the diverse city he loves so much. So we did...rolling in after a 14.5 hour drive (but first stopping in Castle Crags for a sunrise viewing and intense hike), James warmly welcomed us and our gear, groceries and backpacks into his amazing 2 bedroom town home in North Beach District. After showers and a quick glance at the city from the rooftop (don't tell), we hit the streets walking! From Chinatown to Farmers Market at the Ferry Terminal, we were awed by the city's diversity, authenticity and architecture. We hit up the typical touristy spots; Fisherman's Warf (clam chowder in a sour dough bowl...of course) and the Ghirardelli Square (double cappuccino hot fudge sunday blast...naturally) while also enjoying the quaintness that San Fran offers...Saturday night church service, an amazing Tapas restaurant and enjoyable conversation with other friendly San Fran natives. Besides being awed by the accessibility that this fine city has to offer, Nick and I were taken aback by the diversity and things to do there. Walking, walking, and more walking pleased us to no end...a nice chance to stretch the legs before heading off to our next destination: Yosemite, a mere 6 hours away or 7.5 if I fall asleep in the passenger seat and neglect to assist in the navigation department. Oops!

A wonderfully enthusiastic Thank You to James for going above and beyond the line of duty to show two friends a city so near and dear to his heart. You are such a blessing!

Nick in Chinatown...he fits right in!

Our professional "shot" on California Street - don't mind the guy in yellow.














Farmer's Market and all their goodies














Letting out a little crazyness from a long car ride

Fixin' up the House

Sunset at Lariabee


This weekend, my adoring parents (and Brea of course - total momma's girl, freshly groomed doggie) came to Bellingham to swap their three days of freedom for three days of work on and around the new digs with Nick and I. That's why they call it Labor day right??? Work. So that we did. Dad asked for a prioritized list of projects and after scoffing at the three pages Nick and I mustered up, we narrowed it down to a few "need to happen now" projects that could realistically be done in 3 days: Repair the leaking dishwasher and dripping sink, replace the cracked toilet and living room light fixture, pressure wash the fence, and install shelving in the garage. Nick and I also had a game plan in mind to show them some of Bellingham's best features to perhaps swoon them into an ideal retirement location or at least have a better understanding of why we decided to move back up. Trips to the Farmers Market, Larabee for the sunset, ice cream break at Mallards, quick burritos at Banditos, bike ride to Whatcom Falls, swim at Padden and a hike to Yellow Aster Butte were all on the docket...unfortunately, only the first few on that list happened too; there is just too much to do in Bellingham. But hey, work had to get done and since we have 2 and a half more pages of projects to go, there will be many of opportunity to see all that B-ham has to offer. So as Nick hit the garage with dad to build shelves, and mom was dudded up in mud boots and earplug pressure washing, I was under the house, hanging ducting and spraying beams to keep the bugs out....all working hard. I learned a long time ago, taking breaks are essential while doing home repair, otherwise, people start getting grumpy (as in me) and decide to quit long before the project is done (oops, me again). This is when I would suggest a trip to Lowes or Home Depot for more supplies (completely work related, plus I get my Diet Pepsi on the way there). Silly me thought that would be a work break, where in actuality, it turns into a 2 hour tool shopping spree for Nick, tapping into dad's 30+ years of experience in the field as I stand there interested for about 30 seconds then make twenty laps around the store and start to sigh real loud to get my point across that I am DONE and ready to be back under the house. I was more exhausted leaving the store then working at home. Once again, affirmation that I need to seriously work on my patience. Don't worry though, we only headed back to the hardware store 2 more times and I stuck through it each time.
All in all , we had a fantastic weekend. We can now use our garbage disposal without whipping out the plunger and the dish washer actually cleans the dishes instead of being used as drying rack. I would have to say that the best part of the weekend was transporting Brea in a backpack as we rode our bikes downtown to the market. And since dogs aren't technically allowed in the market area, she continued to call the backpack home, with her newly fluffed head popping out of the top, taking in all the vendor's goods. I think Brea got more attention and photographs of herself in that two hour span than I have my entire life. People are suckers for cute dogs in backpacks I suppose. Perhaps next weekend, I will sit in Nick's backpack and see what kind of attention I get...probably not as many "oh that is sooooo cute" comments, but hey, a girl can dream.

The crew hard at work:


That's me...under the house. It's so ROOMY!

Mommasita doing her thang! Check out those hot kicks and hat...she is a trend setter you know!

Dad and Nick fixing the leaking sink...obviously, Nick LOVES plumbing!

Brea working the hardest of us all. Seriously, sometimes I wish I had this dogs life...go on a walk with mom, come back, eat mom's hamburger, nap, eat mom's icecream, nap, get belly rubbed by dad and Nick, nap, lay by mom, nap, go on a walk...

Cookin' up a Storm

I got hit with a huge cooking stick today. I knew it was coming...I could feel it. Sometimes I have really dry seasons in the kitchen. The counters stay clean, the oven off, and the shelves are stocked full of easy food: Organic Roasted Red Pepper Soup, precooked Chicken sausages, mixed greens by the pound with complementing vegetables. All these and more take no more than 4 minutes to assemble a quick meal...perfect for late night dinners after biking or quick lunches. There is a threshold of how long this can go...my dry spell ended today.
At first I thought I would bake a few blueberry muffins for a dear friend. Then remembered that I have 7 million onions begging to be used, freshly picked from a luscious garden this past weekend. That was all I needed to get the mind spinning of what I can make with onions. Oh, I love a challenge! Driving home from hours of errands, I started menu planning: Curried Carrot and Apple Soup (we also picked 5 tons of carrots from said garden), Caramelized Onion with Bacon and Goat Cheese Quiche, Cheese Straws (made with the frozen puff pastry I learned to make earlier in the month) Classic Marinara sauce with Meat Balls, Teriyaki Marinated Chicken Thighs and finally, Blueberry Muffins. It may seem like a bit of food, but like I said, I go through dry spells so having some frozen homemade goodness is nice to have around. Plus my parents are coming into town this weekend and I would much rather be swimming in Padden with the fam, than cooking in the kitchen.
I get home and begin the chaos. Turn on some music for prep: Pull out the onions, carrots, garlic, blender, pots, cutting boards, butcher knife...crank on the oven and put on the apron. On the Cooking Continuum of Accuracy, my cooking tends to lean towards the end of "not so much." I chop, dice, sprinkle, pour, whip, saute and steam until it "feels right". I also tend to start more than one recipe at a time...after all, I may feel like cooking RIGHT NOW, but I don't know how long it will really last once I get going, so I would rather get after it with everything. Soon enough I have the apples and carrots sauteing, the bacon frying, the puff pastry thawing and the onions chopping (me that is, they don't chop themselves). As I am pureeing the carrot concoction, I rush back to the stove to mix the meat for the meatballs, then layer the quiche, sprinkle the cheese straws and bake. Back to batches of pureeing...back to stirring...check the quiche...watch the chicken...back to pureeing. Yes, I walked 4 miles in a 10 foot radius in my kitchen today...not bad. The amazing thing about the constant back and forth shuffle is it relaxes me. All that stuff going on gives me a huge sense of control and peace. Now don't get me wrong, I am sure each and every one of my recipes would come out a bit better if I were to give it my fullest attention. I would probably walk away with a few less burns too, but hey, when the mood hits you...USE it. The only issue...my filthy kitchen. I have a sink full of dishes, marinara sauce on the wall, floor and oven knobs, 2 cutting boards on the counter with more scraps on the counter than the cutting board, dirty tomato cans, and more cooked food than I have room for in my fridge. It's not pretty, believe me, I am looking at it right now. This is where my sister comes in handy. We are a great team...I cook, she comes in right behind me and cleans. By the end of the meal prep, the kitchen is sparkling clean and dinner is served! Perhaps we should seriously consider moving to the same town sooner than later...I need her (for more reasons that just cleaning of course!).
Ah well, life goes on. Praise the Lord for music...just crank it up a bit and get 'a cleanin'!

Whistler - A biker's dream...unless you're me

It's funny how easy things look sometimes. Like watching pizza dough being tossed into a 20" perfect saucer or seeing a Cirque De Soliel performer bend her heel to touch her forehead while balancing herself on a palm size disk with one hand. No problem I tell myself...I bet I could do that. That is, until I get home and watch my pizza dough flop itself to the floor or pull my back muscle just trying to touch my toes. Suddenly my appreciation for people's skills skyrockets and praise the Lord that He gave us all unique talents so I don't have to try those things again, if I don't want to. I was tainted yet again this weekend by foolishly thinking I could attain what was held before my eyes: Downhill biking at Whistler.

For my loving husband's 34th birthday celebration, a weekend trip to Whistler was on the agenda. We booked a hotel (that's right...a hotel...we left the tent at home this time) and headed North. Naturally, I had a few butterflies in my stomach on the trip up, after all Nick is what a few of us like to call a "Manimal" on his bike, while little ol' me just tries to keep him in eye's sight on the trail. The butterflies only grew as we got geared up: Shin pads, elbow pads, torso armor, gloves, glasses and a full face helmet. I was walking around like a pro football player by the end of it all. Standing in line to take our first lift up, I began to calm down a bit. I oohed and awed at the bikers working their way down the mountain: Hitting huge jumps and fatty drops...I couldn't believe how EASY they made it look...smooth as butter! Soooo naturally, I was convinced by the end of the day, that too would be me...hitting 5' air like it ain't no thang. WRONG! I will skip the drama and sum it up numerically, after: 1 sprained ankle, 5 slow and pathetic runs, 20 good crashes, 1,000 tear drops, and countless prayers, we called it a day. Nick attempted to head back up so he could actually get a few hard and fast rides in, but due to lightning, the chairlifts were shut down...done for the day. Oh my. We decided to chalk it up as "God wanting us to be together, just not biking" weekend and ventured out for the other things Whistler has to offer...enjoy the beautiful gondola ride to the top (ignoring the fact that it stopped running for 10 minutes in mid-ascend), touring the Village, eating out, swimming in the lake, farmers market and a lot of laughing to heal the soul.



Disclaimer: Though I do consider my husband a manimal, he turned his crazy biking skills down about 1,000 notches to coach and support me as I eased my way down the mountain. Nothing but encouraging words stemmed from his mouth...allowing me to fall all the more in love with him AND not want to retire my bike for a lifetime. He's a smart one.

A Place to Call Home

That's right...we're finally home! Bellingham has been calling our names for quite some time and after a few minor details (ie: quitting our jobs, packing up our stuff, selling the condo, finding new jobs, crashing with friends, buying a house and unpacking) we are feeling settled and easing into a routine. It was an easy decision to move...when God says "Go" you go. Nonetheless, it was a bit difficult to leave friends and a great church community behind, but knowing we were in good hands and merging into a community and lifestyle that fit us more appropriately than the hustle and bustle that the Eastside brought. Throughout the transition time the first few weeks we realized that we may just be a wee bit crazy; after all, in 5 months we had: Gotten married, moved in together, quit our jobs, moved to a different city and got a new job (Nick). I recently heard that those five things were on the top 20 list of most stressful things people do. But again when it's right, it's right...so we persevere and continue to be supported by friends and family.

Now we are re merging into what it is like to have a stable routine in our own house: Wake up, quick review of daily events, prayer and kiss goodbye as Nick rides his bike to work and I set off for my tasks for the day. I am quickly learning that managing a house with a huge yard sucks up a lot more time than expected (read: 24/7), but am enjoying it for the time being until my employment begins (more on that a bit later).

Most importantly, Nick and I have been getting our outdoor recreation fix since day 1 of living here. Nothing but biking at Galbraith, volley ball at Boulevard, Frisbee in any park, long walks, trips to Lariabee, hiking off Mt. Baker Highway, plus a few weekend adventures with the Lopez clan outside the city limits. We moved here for the recreating, so that is what we are doing dang it! We have recently implemented a early morning Monday and Wednesday ride at Galbraith to get the legs going and to open up our evenings for weekly BBQs with the crew or time to tool around in the garage (read: I sit on the hammock and chat Nick's ear off as he works on bikes).

All and all, we know that we are so very blessed to have had such a smooth transition to our new home. We have loved having the majority of our friends at an arms reach and the unpredictable activities that stem from it when we get together. I no longer have to commute to participate in book club, or spend time with "the girls", or indulge in a beautiful run around Padden. Nick now has the space and some time to pursue his passion in using elements of the earth to build unique creations. He is currently taking a creative welding class at BTC and plans to continue the series in the fall. We are still on the church hunt and are confident that the Lord will lead us to the right one in His time. I thank God daily for being in control of my life, so I don't have to take on that burden.

Nick working hard on our bikes...prepping for Galbraith
The yard...baccie ball, horseballs, tag...it all happens here!
Dinning/Living room area...
My favorite place in the house...the kitchen!