It's still snowing...

March 25 and I am still scraping snow off my car.  I liked snow back in Oregon when snow meant cancellations or late start.  There was actually something to look forward to when the white flakes started falling from the sky.  Here it means slushy streets, wet pant legs and traffic. 

It's about time I get my Winter dose of vitamin D, so I'm headed to Haiti. 

Who says you can't take 2 weeks off of school to travel, work and enjoy the SUN (and rainstorms and mosquitoes...I can't make it sound all fun). I'm hoping to see this little guy again. 

What Kind of Cougar are you?

Before basketball season is completely over, I have to at least admit to my atypical obsession with BYU basketball.  I think I have watched more BYU basketball games (and football) in my first year of graduate school than I did in all 5 years combined of undergraduate work.  Can you blame me?  Jimmer scores 52 points in 1 game and beats the all time scoring record.  Emery beats the all time steals record.  The team was ranked 3rd in the country for a week.  I think the roots of my obsession started watching Julie play ball in middle and high school.  And I attended every home boys basketball game in high school thanks to the Rhythm Bs and our half time performances.

I can't deny it-I have found myself searching YouTube and ESPN for new videos about the Cougars or Jimmer.  I looked forward to waking up Monday after a Sunday night shift at the hospital to see the cougars new ranking.  After a terrible day at school, watching the "Teach me how to Jimmer" video made me laugh and snap out of it...  This is serious madness.  But it was a seriously great video on YouTube. 

Here are some favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqX_b_Bu4hI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOS-xqWEpgE&feature=related

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=14649213&nid=272

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAUVV8BXwlI

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/22753/jimmer-mania-gives-us-epic-facebook-thread

Let the true March Madness begin.  Best of luck to the cougars.

a week in America's unhappiest city

Business week ranked Portland OR the unhappiest city in America.

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/02/0226_miserable_cities/2.htm

Who could be depressed when there is all of this do to in the city and state

 Thanksgiving day Turkey trot

Jake playing spiderman

Riley and Wilco.  Do you see that mischevious look on Riley's face.  Yep, she woke up Wilco and this was the only photo she was willing to pose for. 

the beautiful Oregon coast

jump roping with seaweed on the beach

indoor football for the boys

It may have rained almost everyday I was in Oregon, but that didn't stop us from shopping, playing in the yard, exercising, watching movies, eating, and playing games. 

According to this link

http://www.neatorama.com/2010/02/16/the-happiest-and-unhappiest-cities-in-america/

 I'm headed back to the 4th happiest city in the America.  With finals looming 2 weeks down the road, I'm not sure that I'm going to feel the happiness bug for a few weeks....

seeing Mick made my day a little bit happier....

 In April, I saw this article in a news pop-up on my computer. 

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/03/30/in-unhappiest-u-s-city-one-man-spreads-joy/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl3%7Clink3%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2010%2F03%2F30%2Fin-unhappiest-u-s-city-one-man-spreads-joy%2F

Prior to clicking on the link, there was no idication that the article would be featuring Beaverton Oregon, my hometown and a street less than a 1/2 mile from my house that I travelled daily while growing up. 

I don't travel to Portland very often but I came home for the holidays and saw Mick in action standing on the corner in rainy 30 degree weather. 

(ps-it is illegal to talk on your phone while driving in Portland, OR but I have not heard that it is against the law to snap photos with your phone while driving)

Forecasting Winter...

SALT LAKE CITY -- The KSL weather team has been warning us for several days now: "Say goodbye to fall. Winter is on the way."

Based on this most recent news update--here is my tribute to FALL, because I for one am not looking forward to winter. 

FALL highlights up PROVO CANYON. 

1. Learning to fly fish...okay, being taught to fly fish.  I cast a line that did not have a hook on it and then took photos while my friend cast with a fly.  I would not say I really learned how, though I had an excellent teacher.  I didn't catch any fish.  You need a hook and a permit to do that, of which I had neither. 

2. Biking up past Southfork on a crisp autum morning. 

 

 3. Hiking Stewart Falls with a few other girls from the nurse practitioning program.  A much needed distraction between class and studying. 

I'm not ready to say good bye yet, but at least I've enjoyed it while it lasted.

Your future health care....

Is in our hands.

Don't worry--we still have 22 1/2 month to go before they let us loose. 

it RUNS in the genes

Growing up, Julie was always the athletic twin.  She played basketball, soccer, ultimate Frisbee, etc and I happily stood on the sidelines and cheered her on. 

When we got to college, we started running together.  Together meaning, we started together.  She would quickly pick up the pace, run a few blocks ahead of me and then circle back around to meet me only to get a few blocks ahead again and circle back around.

Since then, I've overcome my fears of running = bulky legs and can actually keep a decent pace with Julie.

In June we ran the wasatch back relay together...

This was our 4th year running it.  3rd time running it on the same team. 

In july, I ran the Hobbler 1/2 marathon down Hobble Creek Canyon in Springville Utah.

 

I surprised myself and ran a personal best at 137:19.

That's 7:26 min splits! For 13.1 MILES! I had no idea I had that kind of speed in me. 

And to top it all off, I came in first for my age division.  

 

Last week, Julie ran the St. George Marathon. 

She qualified for the Boston Marathon running a 3:38. 

And I happily stood on the sidelines cheering her on just like in the good 'ole high school days :)