The Picturesque Northwest

I officially have the best family EVER.  Tuesday night at 9pm I purchased a ticket home to Portland and flew out 12 hrs later.  Despite short notice, my family in Portland and Seattle welcomed me home without complaint.  Here are a few pictures highlighting my spontaneous adventures. 

Sunset in Seattle Friday night

Vancouver Canada Temple

Ty at the Portland Rose Garden on his birthday.  After the Rose Garden we headed to the Elephant Park

another photo from the rose garden-used a funky setting, but I thought it turned out nicely

Strawberry picking.  We picked 27 lbs (not counting all the we ate as we picked).  Ty couldn't resist...neither could I.

Pikes place with Sheri.

Other highlights from the 4 day excursion include:

• Visiting 4 new restaurants (Yumms, Isabel Pearl, Viet My, and Samurai Sushi)
• Shopping sales tax free in Oregon, including a quick shopping trip to the Columbia employee store. 
• Running on the water front in Downtown Portland
• A trip across the border into Canada.  Unfortunately they do not stamp passports at the border for Americans, but for the record--I have been to Canada.  Check.
• An 11 mile bike ride around Stanley Park in Vancouver BC.  
• Watching Sheri finish an Olympic distance triathlon
• Time spent with 4 siblings, and 9 nieces and nephews

Races

Julie and I ran the Wasatch Back Ragnar Relay again this year for the 5th time and finished in record time for our team.  191 miles in 25 hrs 45mins.  Way to go blazing saddles. 

And no-I did not contradict myself from my previous blog.  The run way HARD at times (long, no sleep, cramped legs and snow at the top of Guardsman Pass) but so worth it and a great to finish with a strong team. 

Today Sheri completed the Lake Padden Triathlon in Bellingham Washtington.  It was an overcast, cold morning for an open water swim, but she did awesome.

  It was an Olympic distance...good preparation for an upcoming Ironman in August, perhaps??

I may have killed a tree

I'm in search of someone who actually enjoys writing research papers...and I'm talking about the research and writing part of it, not the good feeling you get when the paper is finished, turned in, done and in my case submitted for publication. 

Is there really anyone out there like that?  Because I'm willing to bribe someone to help out with this little assignment called my graduate school research paper. 

It's a stretch, but I'm going to try to find a correlation to people who talk to me and hate running.  I like running (most of the time).  Like today.  Today was a GREAT run.  It was 6pm-perfect temperature.  I was on the Provo river trail and had a nice breeze coming off the river and trees that shaded the trail and I just got in the groove.  But there are days when I run, even races I run, that I hate it.  But I never regret a good run when I'm done.  Case in point: last year I ran a half marathon in July.  I felt great the first 7 miles.  It was down hill and I knew I was flying.  I also knew I was going WAY too fast and by mile 8 I was like-really why do I do this to myself?  Why would I ever run a full marathon again? When will this be over.  I had kind of given up by mile 13 b/ I walked 3 times the last mile.  At the finish line I felt like collapsing-and then I saw my time.  I PR'd, so all the pain from the previous 45 mins was SO worth it.  And the massage tables had a spot waiting for me.  The race, the run, the pain, the misery-it was ALL worth it.  I felt GREAT. 

Will I feel that way in 3 months when I am hopefully done with this paper???  Will I feel that way in 1 year and 3 months when I am graduating??  I sure hope so. 

In the meantime, I'm just killing trees (and spending some precious summer sunshine cooped up inside writing, reading, revising, oh and blogging).  I think this is my 5th or 6th topic.  I haven't printed off nearly this many articles for the other would be topics, but I've printed off my share.  On the bright side-I do get to print for free in the grad student lounge.  Thank goodness.  And I do recycle when I'm done.

Oh-and some things never change.  Just like high school and undergraduate school--I still study in my bed.  It's way more comfortable than a chair. 

I hope they call me on a Mission....

When I have grown a foot or two....

What? No sign at the entrance to the MTC?

I hope by then I will be ready....

 To teach and preach and work as missionaries do!

 Can you believe this boy is 19 years old already?!?  My "little" nephew is all grown up and entered the Missionary Training Center (MTC) this afternoon.  It was great to spend the evening with him.  We talked about his mission, how he feels about the gospel, his testimony and what to expect.  He was so excited and that is a great thing to see and feel.  He's all grown up--in size and maturity.  I'm one proud aunt.

The drop off.  They have changed things a bit since I was at the MTC.  I didn't even have to lift his suitcases out of my car.  The missionaries there to welcome him did all the work.  He was so excited to finally get there.