Jason and Kim

Baby Registry

2012-01-09T09:21:00.030-07:00

Because Jason and I love finding good deals and understand how fast babies grow, we’re doing something a little different with our registry. Used items that have little wear and are clean are perfectly acceptable gifts. We often struggle with structured gift registries because we know that we can usually find a better quality item or a cheaper deal somewhere else, especially if we shop used or eBay. Because we don’t have the insight that some of you mothers and fathers have, many of you will know what we overlooked or what silly items we did include when creating our list.

Some Helpful Hints

Kyri (rhymes with theory) Mae Larsen’s due date is May 15, 2012.

Our nursery colors are sage green, cream/ivory, chocolate brown, and tan as we are trying to keep colors neutral for another baby later. Some of you have asked about an animal theme, and while we don’t really have one, I am fond of birds and may decide to decorate along those lines.

Jason and I are also fairly active and enjoy outdoor activities. Even though we will not be going backpacking again for a while, we will take Kyri on her first camping trip in July, so certain supplies related to the outdoors are especially appreciated.

The Suggested List

If you select an item from our list, call Angie or Kim so someone can mark it in red as already taken. This way we won't end up with duplicate items. Here is what we think we’ll need:

Clothes (ongoing need)
Diapers/wipes:

Newborn (already taken)
Size 1-2
Size 3

Swaddling blankets (already taken)
Crib mattress
Crib (already taken)
Crib bedding (already taken)
Bassinet (already taken)
High chair or SpaceSaver high chair
Bumbo chair (already taken)
Swing (already taken)
Crib mobile (already taken)
Jogging stroller (lightweight and easy to maneuver)
Regular stroller (already taken)
Doorway jumper
Kelty backpack (already taken)
Kelty TC sun hood
Travel playpen with attachment changing table (already taken)
Bottles (already taken)
Pacifiers (already taken)
Moby wrap (already taken)
Diaper Champ (already taken)
Wipe warmer (already taken)
Bouncer (already taken)
Baby monitor
Baby bath tub (already taken)
Bath supplies (already taken)
Car seat (already taken)
Car seat cover (already taken)
Eddie Bauer Belmont Duffle diaper bag (already taken)
Bike trailer (already taken)
Extra sheets for crib (solid colors)
Boppy nursing pillow (already taken)
Moses basket (already taken)
Boppy slipcover
Breast pump
What to Expect the First Year

Also, if you give a gift card, the best one for us may be for Wal-Mart because Page has a very limited shopping selection. :)

Lions, tigers, and bears... well, maybe just a lion

2012-01-04T19:59:00.009-07:00

Jason got to go out lion hunting with his brother Ben this last week. Rather than hunting with big guns they went shooting with big cameras. They had been out most of the morning and were about to call it quits when the dogs treed a lion. Ben's dogs have special GPS colars that track their location and tell him whether the dogs are lookign down at the trail or up into a tree at whatever they are hunting. All three dogs were in the same spot looking up at a lion! The only thing that stood between them and the cat was about 400 yards straight up a mountain side. After about 20 min they both realized they were out of shape and that they were going to get some great shots. Take a look! (In case there are gramatical errors it should be noted that Jason wrote this blog, not Kim. he wrote it from 3rd person because he thought it would be fun)

Jason likes the black and whites, but here are the color versions.

"Christmas time is here; celebrate with cheer." Charlie Brown

2011-12-24T21:04:00.005-07:00

Because Jason had to work, we stayed home for the first time this Christmas. Staying home meant that we got to have our first real tree! I think our cats have enjoyed the real tree almost as much--if not more than we have. Along with playing with the tree and the gifts, one of our cats has discovered the gingerbread house, and the front door of the house has been partially eaten.

"It's a boy! And what a boy!"

2011-12-22T20:34:00.003-07:00

"...No, Mr. Simpson, that's the umbilical cord."

Yes, we are having a little girl. Kim and I are very excited about adding Kyri Mae Larsen to our little family.

And I Would Walk 500 Miles...

2011-12-14T12:36:00.003-07:00

December has been a busy month for us. We have yet to mail our Christmas cards, put up the lights for the front porch, make cookies for the neighbors, and finish our gingerbread house. Christmas is less than two weeks away, but even with the stress, I suspect the coming of the holiday will be a welcome relief because I have only four Christmas CD’s that I’ve been listening to every day.

For the last several months, I’ve been volunteering for hospice (which means anything from helping families heard goats to writing and graphic design work to driving Jason to appointments). Today, I packed up our gear for a seven-hour trip to Shonto and Tuba City, both on the Navajo Reservation. I felt like I was packing for a trip to the North Pole: wool socks, boots, thermals, extra blankets, coats, water, food, power inverter, cell phone chargers. The Res feels like the North Pole too. In Page and Greenehaven, we live in a little hot pocket—similar to St. George—but the areas outside of that pocket have harsh winter weather.

During this trip, we split a pizza with an older gentleman who said he was hungry and hadn’t eaten for days and watched for rabid dogs that chew through car fenders (true story). We’re starting to get used to the culture, but sometimes it still feels a little random.

On our way back home, we picked up a man named Colin Skinner (not a hitchhiker), who is walking across the United States to increase hospice awareness. He’s been staying with us, and he’s been a pleasant houseguest. Last night was his last night at our house. I felt guilty leaving him on the road this morning even though I know that walking is what he wants to do. Based on his walk, I’d like to think that good experiences in life outweigh the bad. I suspect that Colin would agree that the good nature of people outweighs the bad because people have been very supportive of his walks. He didn’t have a single negative thought to share during his stay with us, and I admire his optimistic attitude—especially for a person who walks 20 to 30 miles a day and won’t see his family again until February. If you Google Dr. Colin Skinner, you can find some interesting stories about him and what he’s done.

I feel like my life is going by on fast-forward. 2011 is almost over, and I’m still scrambling to catch up with loose ends. I’m grateful to be home for a little while, and I’m grateful for the upcoming empty weekend. Life is good!

“Little babies are an indication that God wants the world to go on.” Nan Larsen

2011-11-13T10:52:00.003-07:00

No, this is not a cave. It is not one of Jason's obscure black and white photos either. It is our baby at 7 weeks. We got to hear the heartbeat then. That was my first realization that there was something alive inside of me. I kept asking the ultrasound tech, "It's alive? That's not my heartbeat?"

We're expecting May 15th. For a while, we'd been waiting for the "best" time. Moving to Page and quitting my job were parts in that process. I'll be done with school in less than a month too (yay!). We've experienced a lot of change in a short amount of time, but things seem to have fallen naturally into place. We're excited for the change and already a third of the way there!

Acquired Taste

2011-11-04T21:30:00.007-06:00

The picture above is of a pioneer structure out in old Paria. There is not much left out here. We heard there was an old west movie set out here but we didn't find it. It got burned down and supposedly they restored it, but if it's there, we'll find it on another trip.

These are somewhat out of order. Kim and I went out for a day to explore this amazing place that we live in. This mountain has so many colors in it. It is at an old ghost town called paria (or Pahreah).

This stuff below is everywhere. If you pay close attention as you hike , nearly anyplace, you will see it. It is called Cryptobiotic Soil. It is made of Lichens, algae, mosses, and cyanobacteria. It is important in the prevention of soil erosion and especially to the ecosystem of the desert where we live. It is crucial that you avoid stepping on this stuff! So watch for it, look at it, but make sure you walk around it because it is very much alive!

There were some really cool sand waves out here. I feel that the black and white shows the details in a more dramatic fashion.

They say that if you are looking for arrowheads out in the wilderness that you will often find them atop little spires. This is because as they fall to the ground, they exert pressure on the sand/soil below, making it more resistant to erosion. As time goes by, the soils around them erode, leaving them atop the small spire. Well, what you see above is an example of the same principal on a much grander scale. The stones on top were once sitting on flat ground; they exerted pressure on the soil below and actually helped the sands become stone at a faster rate. Erosion occurred in the softer soils below and around the pillar and vwhalah! Toadstools and Goblins (aka Goblin Valley state park).

"Life is made up of marble and mud." Nathaniel Hawthorne

2011-09-12T21:02:00.003-06:00

We got to have our family friends, the Jensens, come into town this weekend. On Saturday, we got stuck in the mud.

Buried Treasure

2011-08-24T09:57:00.004-06:00

I pulled out an old tote the other day that had all of my childhood memorabilia. Inside were several interesting items, but here are a couple. Jason went through the trouble of getting them onto the computer.

Kim Jacobson, Heidi and Hilary Winterton (1989)

Life in a Desert Garden

2011-08-21T16:33:00.014-06:00

Well this has been a great week for us, tiring but great. We had my dad and sister in town and all of us went out on Lake Powell to chase a picture of Rainbow Bridge (at least that's what I was doing ;) We went and got the picture and found a great campsite. The darkness of that night gave us a few extra photographic treats with a full moon and a beautiful sunrise the next morning with lots of great times in between. I even got my first speeding ticket in a boat... I guess that is memorable... in a messed up sort of way.

Later in the week, we headed into St. George to see The Little Mermaid at Tuacahn (and we are watching the movie as I type).

The next day we capped off the classic desert experience by seeing some really cool desert life and scenery. Rattlesnakes, kangaroo rats, big horned sheep, (this one was actually earlier in the week) and a new set of Anasazi petroglyphs.

Last, but not least, I got a picture I have waited a very very long time for. I got my first lightning bolt! I sat eating dinner with Kim as our usual evening storm rolled by and the lightning was firing off like machine guns. I said to Kim, " I am not even going to try because I know I'll sit out here all night and won't get one" (as I have tried many times before). Well you can see how long that lasted, and I am glad I recanted on my statement.

Arizona

2011-08-03T20:00:00.004-06:00

Naturally, we've been very busy, and today is our second day of internet in Page. The last few weeks have consisted of:

Moving.
Tiling a bathroom floor in our St. George place.
Unpacking.
Getting everything associated with moving in place.
Getting ready for one last semester of school.

I want to say thank-you to the Hardmans for taking time during the family reunion to help us move. We enjoyed getting to see everyone, and the extra hands made the move happen smoothly.

Jason and I are adjusting to Page. I never thought I'd love a place more than I love St. George, but here, I still get the heat of the desert and the desert scape with the added bonus of a rural community and a beautiful view of the lake. Every morning, and most evenings, we eat our meals on the front porch so we can enjoy the view.

Today, we also went out on the lake for the first time. We took our kayak down the street to Lone Rock. I wish we had taken pictures, but we weren't there very long before it started raining. I love these desert storms where the sun still shines. We were chewing on sand while trying to get the kayak on the roof in the wind.

During our time here, we've encountered:

A baby hummingbird and its mother right outside our bedroom window.
"Earth babies," otherwise known as root-eating termites (we had a nasty looking one floating around in the fountain.
A dead "critter" Jason thinks was a chipmunk that decided to die on our back patio.

The move has definitely been an adventure.

Yes, that is a Utah license plate on my car still, and yes, the garage is the only area left unpacked, so the cars currently go in the driveway.

Moving

2011-07-08T18:57:00.004-06:00

Today Jason accepted a Nursing Director position with his company's Page, Arizona office. We're moving at the end of the month! I don't think the idea has "sunk in" for me yet. I did unload the attic for a big DI run, and the pile is sitting on my kitchen floor.

Jason found us a place to live on the shore of Lake Powell in Greenhaven. He assures me that the house is beautiful, and we won't be able to fill it. Beachfront property!

I've started applying for jobs in Page, but in such a small town, we'll see what happens. The people at my work have been so supportive, and I'm going to miss them. This December would have marked my third year teaching at Dixie, and I've made some wonderful friends and had some amazing colleagues during that time.

Yes, I don't have pictures in this post. It's one of those informative kinds anyway.

Plan to be Spontaneous

2011-06-21T18:34:00.004-06:00

This last weekend, Jason and I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to hike the Subway (also known as Left Fork of the Virgin). This was the last reservation until August, and the one in August wasn't on a weekend. We took our time and got many nice pictures.

Coopers Hawk

2011-06-17T13:01:00.004-06:00

We had this little guy by our place. He'd been blown out of his nest. I called a man from the Desert Reserve, who restores falcons and hawks. He came and put this Coopers Hawk back in the tree.

Home

2011-05-10T13:12:00.003-06:00

When I'm home like this, my cat becomes very attached. Picture this white cat, belly up, sleeping beside me on the couch--somewhat like a giant cotton ball. We both keep an eye on the hummingbird feeder. I too enjoy days when I'm home.

Even though school has been out for a week now, I still feel like I'm racing to get work done. I haven't stopped! Today, I submitted a draft of my project plan for my final graduate research project. Ultimately, this could lead to a little website building, but we shall see. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's this fall!

Today is Jason's birthday so wish him a happy 29th! He found his birthday present a week or so ago when the odd-shaped package arrived on the porch. Basically, I blew up one of his photos, printed it on canvas, and ordered a beautiful frame. The frame gave the surprise away.

No, I don't have pictures today, but I've already taken the "before" pictures of my kitchen, so I suspect I'll have a post later about flooring.

An Add-on to Jason's Post

2011-04-27T09:36:00.005-06:00

Jason already updated the blog, but I want to contribute a little. By the way, when Jason makes a post, he puts it in my perspective. If there are any grammatical errors, don't blame the English major. Here are a couple more pictures from a slot canyon on the reserve:

Life has been so crazy lately! Today was the last day of class, and my students start their final exam this Friday. This semester was busy. In a couple of weeks, Jason and I will start our flooring project. I'm excited for a break!

2011-04-24T15:48:00.005-06:00

We went to beautiful Page, AZ again this weekend for Zion'sWay. The weather was much stormier than our last visit, but we were able to make some good photo opportunities out it (just got a little wet doing so!)

Here the storm was halfway over Lake Powell

This was the initial deluge. It just started dumping a few hundred yards from us. Jason hunkered down under a small canopy at the top of the Wahweep overlook and waited for the storm to pass over the lake.

If you look closely at the mountain behind the power plant you can see the shape of a Navajo Cheif laying down (head & feather to the left).

We had a fun trip and a good Easter. Hope you all did too!

"To live would be an awfully big adventure." Peter Pan

2011-04-08T20:31:00.018-06:00

We haven't posted in a long time, so here are three small trips in one post.

Page, Az

This last weekend, Jason was the on-call nurse in Page. I used to have a poor opinion of Page, but this trip changed my mind. I love the location, the hikes, and the scenery. Horseshoe Bend was a shot Jason wanted to take on this trip.

Page gave us something back in return. We got sick with one of the nastiest viruses we've had in a while. We're still fighting this thing off, and it's been a week. Our friends have us quarantined.

Winchester Petroglyphs

A couple weeks ago, ur good friends, the Jensens, took us out to Winchester to see some petroglyphs. Adina said the site had a little more vandalism than she remembered. We're proud of Kayla for being a such good sport, giving her ipod a rest, and climbing in places she wouldn't normally go.

Near the end of this trip, Jason thought his new mud tires would be unstopable. Unfortunately, we weren't in mud; we were in sand, and they don't sell sand tires for Monteros. We drove over a bush and got high-centered with the running boards. Our group got creative from rocks to come-alongs, and finally we lifted the Montero up with a car jack and ripped out the bush!

Gooseberry Mesa

We drove out to Gooseberry about a month ago when the weather started warming up past 70. We played hard and accidentally encountered some harder biking trails than we anticipated when we got out of the "Practice Loop." I know when to get off and walk, and I did a lot of walking in some areas.

Gooseberry also gave me something back in return. I sprained my wrist when I landed on my palm coming down a hill. This was ironic because my fall happened over spring break. Right before the break, I told my students I didn't want them coming back with broken bones, and I didn't want to see them on the Washington County bookings. Well, I wasn't arrested!

"My philosophy has always been that you want to look in your backyard first, and if you have the quality of talent here, you want to go get that."

2011-01-30T20:28:00.007-07:00

Last week we went to Warner Valley and Gooseberry Mesa: two places in our backyard.

A Blog Without a Name

2011-01-17T21:14:00.003-07:00

We went to see some pioneer graffiti. We are beginning to think that in a few hundred years, people are going to be willing to hike for miles to look at our city walls and train cars covered in spray paint. We will set up national monuments to protect graffiti.

This may not be the greatest shot, but for shooting straight into the sun it isn't too bad. We went out to Snow Canyon the other day to scope out a campsite for Kim's family. They are coming down in April.

Advantages to Small Living Spaces

2011-01-05T09:13:00.003-07:00

Cleaning doesn't take as long.
Remodeling doesn't break the budget.
Getting a tankless water heater makes you excited.
Paying the mortgage could be done even if working at McDonalds.
Donating to DI is a frequent occasion.
Choosing out furniture becomes a selective and fun process.
Seeing the utility bill never makes you cringe.
Settling family debates happens quickly because you live so close together.

This July will mark our fourth year in our condo. While there are times we've wished for a bigger house, the stability our home has brought us makes us grateful for a place to call our own.

"He said, 'I'm comfortable here. I don't wanna move. I don't wanna leave.'"

2011-01-03T13:58:00.004-07:00

Lately we've been busy with the holidays. School starts in a week, so I figured now would be a good time to post.

For Christmas, we went up to Salt Lake for a wedding and to see family. The visit was nice. The weather was cold.

On the way home to St. George on Christmas day, we had a blow out. We will probably replace the entire set of tires, so they wear evenly. We think that people should visit us for the holidays. The weather's better.

After coming home to upset, puking cats, I've decided this year's house project will be to put in wood flooring.

We're both grateful for our jobs, but occasionally I weigh the benefits of going into my area of emphasis. It has its pros and cons. My back-to-school nightmares have started, so this is mainly why I even bring this up. :)

Today, we woke up with snow on the ground. I think I'll just close my blinds and pretend it's not there. Jason calls me Boll Weevil.

I'm ready for summer or at least spring. I miss the heat and the decent gas mileage (Jason has no complaints about that). St. George should be back up to 50 this weekend, so we'll probably ride bikes or hike. My hummingbirds disappeared a few days ago, and their feeder looked like slurpee for a while. Jason insists that they flew south. Vegas isn't that much warmer right now...

This was the week before Christmas:

This is how we deal with the cold:

2010-10-24T21:27:00.003-06:00

Kim said, "this looks like Mars," and I said, "that' the point." It looks like we're on some other planet!

We went for a hike this weekend right by our house. This is in the Red Cliffs Preserve. The hike is called "Broken Mesa Rim." We really like the stormy days because the clouds pick up so much color. We love going with other people, so let us know if you want to go along on our adventures to places that look like other worlds!

Shoutout to Caleb and my dad

2010-10-11T21:33:00.002-06:00

My little brother and my dad built this cat house. My cats love it!

On Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises from his pumpkin patch and flies through the air with his bag of toys to all the children. Linus Van Pelt

2010-10-11T20:29:00.007-06:00

Just some random pictures:

Last month or so we went to a Styx concert and here's a picture of the band.

And here we're saying goodbye to our good friends Devon and Rebecca.

We made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. Our pumpkin is on the right. Aaron and Elaina's are the other two.

Is playing it safe really playing at all?"

2010-10-04T21:21:00.005-06:00

We've been living crazy lives lately with work and school. This is how we feel at the end of the day:

The other day, Jason went to a Red Bull competition where he saw people on bikes ride off cliffs. When he came home, we looked up some videos on Red Bull's site. I'm amazed people don't die doing that sort of thing. The crashes were very intense. Here is the 2010 competition Jason went to:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OwIFweXsaM

St. George put on a show today, displaying one of the most glorious desert rain storms I have ever seen. When the thunder started this afternoon, my cats started burrowing into the couch. Usually the rain comes in bursts and the sun will still shine on one side of town. Today, there were still patches of sun, but the rain, thunder, and lightening have been constant. The gutters have turned into rivers that flood into the street, and waterfalls come off the bluffs. Fortunately, we don't live in an area that gets flooding.

As for me, I'm staying busy with school and work. I'm teaching twelve credits and taking nine credits. That roughly translates into 20 hours a week for teaching and 20-30 hours a week for school. Then Jason and I have play time out at Springdale and other fun places with our packs or our bikes. I love it! I signed us up for the Snow Canyon 5K next month--much to Jason's delight :) I figured we could start small. Here's another check-off on my bucket list.

"I'm more than a bird, more than a plane, more than some pretty face beside a train..."

2010-09-13T07:58:00.003-06:00

Risky Business

2010-08-27T13:45:00.001-06:00

"Fill your life with interesting stuff." Goldfish bag

2010-08-25T19:44:00.016-06:00

So this is a section of the first stretch of our latest adventure- It's called Hop Valley. This picture shows Jerid and Adina heading back toward Virgin as they could only do the day, not overnight.

Deeper in: this is what the scenery (and the weather) started to look like.

This was by a big hill - we were all pooped taking a break when a dad and his 6 year old daughters came trucking up the hill not even breaking a sweat!

"I'm blue da ba dee da ba dye da ba dye".... you know your thinking it.

This guy was huge! Close to 4 inches long I bet! Just some of the wildlife we saw out there.

This was were we camped. Fresh water to filter from, soothing sound of the creek. We had a lot of shade- it was a really beautiful, secluded spot.

Here are some pics of the arch- it is the second largest freestanding arch in the world. The largest is only a few feet longer and is close to collapsing.

Freakin' tree huggin' fanny packers! - Well family ... here is our confession. Don't burn us at the stake- we don't want to hurt any trees!

Nearing the end of our trail...

You can't see it very clearly but the sign says "Strenuous" - That's right baby - we're hard core. If any of you want to be hard core and cool like us we'd love to take you along next time.

2010-08-04T08:08:00.004-06:00

I'm finally done with classes, DSC and NAU! I picked up another course to teach this fall and I look forward to that. I'm very excited to be teaching 6 classes! I'm at my maximum! Last night I had nightmares about the new class: cell phones, sprained ankles, a missing sylubus, sleeping students. I did everything right, but they just outnumbered me.

What I plan on doing with a month of freedom

Go backpacking to Kolob Arch.
Clean my house.
Relax and get ready for the end of the month.
Do a craft: Inspired by my friend Erin and my cheapness to not buy one for $20 at Tai Pan, I'm going to make some wooden blocks to sit on top of my cupboards, using paper and mod podge. Erin, I haven't told you yet, but I want to make these with you because you're the expert!
Go to a Styx concert.
Make a kitchen backsplash.
Attend a wedding.
Paint my bathroom?
Read and write.

My month is already filling up fast. Where has my life gone?

"It always rains on tents. Rainstorms will travel thousands of miles, against prevailing winds for the opportunity to rain on a tent." Dave Barry

2010-07-27T21:43:00.009-06:00

Our background got discontinued, so we had to redo everything. We've been so busy, and it's taken me a long time to pull a new one together. I still don't like this one as well as the last.

Family Reunions: This last weekend we went up to Fairview to spend time with Jacobsons and Hardmans (and other extended family--too many names to list.) We loved getting to spend time with everyone. I got to ride my brother's new motorcycle. After talking with my grandma and my great uncle Jim, (Jim is the coolest; he's a cowboy, but I found out he doesn't sleep in a tent; he sleeps in a trailer and eats real food---good deal!) I decided life was much simpler back then. My grandma said that while they were growing up, the only sweets they got were on Sunday when her mom would bake. Jim never ate sweets growing up and still doesn't. Wouldn't that be great if I could raise my kids like that? I know that I don't want to be one of those fast-food families. McDonalds should be a special occasion like maybe once on a road-trip. We'll see how long this lasts!

At Hardmans, we got to stay on their new property. We're so excited for them because this has been their dream! I felt that the most interesting thing was the lot behind them. Anyone ever seen that movie on TV, The Hills Have Eyes? So the story with the lot was that a group of Lost Boys (the boys the polygamists kick out) had come to live there for a while. There were about 40 of them living there, and they had set up structures and brought carpet and freezers up the hill. The place had a very creepy vibe. There were little stones set up that looked like grave markers and they said things like "Jonadeb," and "The Oaks of Memory." I found an old candelabra that Hardmans let me take--looks great in my place! It still had the sticker on bottom, and when I looked up the brand, I found that it cost $250 (that's with shipping.) It's solid brass and weighs 20 pounds. I think one of the boys took it out of spite or maybe knew its worth. It's absolutely beautiful!

Classes: I finished teaching last Thursday at DSC, and I finish summer classes next Wednesday at NAU. Then I get one month off and go back for it all again August 24th. I love my classes at NAU. Over the weekend, I took my homework with me and did homework in the car for as long as I had an internet connection. My first big paper was due, and I turned it in a day early. I was so nervous but got 100%!

Cats and Home: Our cats missed us while we were away. My one is still very clingy. She sleeps by my side while I'm at my computer, and if I'm sitting at the bar, she'll climb up on the counter and lie on the keyboard. I can't decided if she's still feeling sick. She's only thrown up once in the last two days. As for our home, it's completely chaotic! Ever since I went back to school, I haven't had time for housework. And our water heater smells like sulfur because the anode is bad. Yuck! We ordered a new one the other week with a plumber's advice, and we're hoping to install it next Saturday. It's an energy-efficient, tank-less water heater, and I can't wait to have the extra closet space (the tank-less water heater is 12x12 inches--very cute.)

Anyway, that's our latest update. Here are some pictures of our trip:

Chase What Matters

2010-07-21T10:32:00.002-06:00

Jason and I used to make fun of that Chase Bank commercial where the guy uses his laptop while camping. HA! Unfortunately, I now understand. School is keeping me busy. Tomorrow is my last day teaching for the summer semester, and after this month, things should calm down a little. Jason and I are even talking about another backpacking trip in August. Anyone want to come along? We have extra backpacks!

If you haven't seen it, here's the Chase Bank commercial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4JWDbF0jV0&feature=related

"It's only forever...not long at all. Lost and lonely...that's underground, underground!" Bowie!

2010-07-15T18:58:00.015-06:00

In our latest adventure, we went up to Cedar Mountain with our good friends John and Vanessa. We rode our bikes around the lake, visited caves, and ate really good food.

Here's a pic of me in my gear. I think my odometer is wrong because the sign said we did over eight miles, but my gizmo said we did five. I might need to change the tire size setting. This is good though; we've been riding a lot more than we thought!

Ice Cave with John and Vanessa.

Bower's Cave. We went on a quest to "The Underground." Kim was hoping to find Jareth (aka David Bowie in butt-tight spandex) but alas Ziggy Stardust wasn't there to greet us. We did bump into Hoggle though and he was quite hospitable. Kim traded him a cheap "plastic" flashlight for a guided tour of Bower's (Bowie's ?) Underground. (If you have no idea what the crap were talking about go YouTube David Bowie's Underground from Labyrith.)

Hoggle took the first one, then we got out the tripod ;)

And finally...Cedar Breaks

And just because I feel like it, here's a picture completely non-related to our Cedar trip. This was taken out by Gunlock. There hadn't been overflow from the spillway in five years. As you can see, it creates beautiful waterfalls. They last less than a week.

"The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows." Sydney J. Harris

2010-06-10T21:33:00.007-06:00

I spend a lot of time doing school stuff now. This semester I ended up with a good batch of students, and I'm really pleased with the progress we're making. Each semester, I develop better ways to teach the material, and their scores seem better too. I get warm fuzzies when I run into old students who say they miss my class. This semester I had a lot of adults returning to school after many years off. Some seemed really nervous, and I understood their nervousness when I started my work on my grad program that same day.

My program is great! My instructor is awesome! My classmates are great! I feel good being in that type of learning environment again. My area of emphasis is Literacy, Technology, and Professional Writing, and it's nice to be back doing that technical writing again.
Jason continues to plug away in his little 100 degree office. Let me explain: we have a 1992 Toyota Corolla that now has over 176000 miles. He's created an office in there with his nursing supplies, computer, and GPS setup. He travels to his patients homes and that car gets 37 MPG--it also has no AC and St. George is getting hot! Two soda cans have exploded in the back of his trunk, and his meter for testing blood sugar has given him the message "too hot to read." He's taken my car out a few times, but the gas mileage isn't the same and it's a pain moving offices. Don't feel too bad for him, however, because we have three vehicles and he has his pick.

Our cats are doing well. After a vet visit and $200 later after, we decided we needed to shave our white cat. She was getting the worst hairballs and throwing up every day. I swear she purred the whole time we were giving her the haircut, but it may have been the razor making her vibrate. She loves the new look (although it took our other cat some time getting used to it.) She's more playful than she's been in years and enjoys being touched now that she can feel our fingers through her fur (she doesn't get shocked anymore when we pet her either, so that may be part of it.)

Anyway, we're happy and healthy (for the most part) and just loving life. We hope all is well with our family and friends!

"We are roadside flowers straying from garden grounds."

2010-05-30T19:48:00.009-06:00

We went mountain biking for the holiday weekend. Our adventures are as follows:

"A hamburger by any other name costs twice as much."

2010-05-26T16:49:00.002-06:00

Our friends took us to their company picnic and this was the burger we put together (the company doesn't make burgers this large because they feel it ruins the presentation). It's an 8x8. Jason downed it in four minutes.

2010-05-25T08:43:00.003-06:00

This morning while Jason and I were watching the news, I heard a familiar name. I looked up and saw a familiar face. I double-checked Google just to be sure.

A Utah County man squeezed his six-week-old baby and threw the infant into the crib. The man is sentenced to twenty years to life in prison. The baby died a few months later. What a horrendous story, and this happened to just an average guy. I went to high school and jr. high with this kid. He never had violent tendencies and never got into trouble. Average Joe played in the band and we shared some of the same friends.

I remember being left with a baby (almost a year old but still breast-feeding). The mother didn't leave me with any milk and the kid wasn't on formula or solid foods. The baby cried for four hours straight, and I held the baby and cried too. Although I've never been angry at an infant, I can see how some people could get upset especially if they haven't been around it before.

They say to just walk away when you start feeling frustrated with a baby who won't stop crying. It's sad that this kind of thing happens, and it's scary when you see it happening to normal people: not the drug dealer down the street, or the neighborhood pedophile, or just people used to a rough lifestyle. How would it be to shatter several lives in one moment because of lost self control?

On a happier note, Jason and I got mountain bikes. We are going out this weekend to the Arizona Strip, and I will have pictures!

"Everything looks perfect from far away...come down now...but we'll stay." Postal Service

2010-05-18T07:57:00.011-06:00

I always get impatient to make a post after a trip, so my pics usually don't get photoshopped. Here's our experience with the East Rim. We did twenty miles in three days. The views were amazing and the company was great. I admire my one friend for coming along being four months pregnant.

Day one: the six of us headed out and did six miles before our camp. We filtered our water out of Stave Spring then set up camp.

Day two: only four of us remained after two decided to head out after a cold night (it's a good thing they did because it froze the next night). We hiked Deertrap and Cable mountains-nine miles. The views were the best we'd seen the entire trip.

Day three: five miles straight down. The best part was Echo Canyon on our way out. The worst was the cement on the knees (we're getting old).

Our packs started off weighing 40 and 30 pounds. A good portion of that was water weight. My pack only weighed 23 pounds when I got home.

The Court of the Patriarchs is in the background. The peaks are hard to differentiate from this high up.
Sarah and Kim looking over Zion Canyon.

Angel's Landing with Jason' feet.

Both temples! East Temple is on the left and West is on the right.

Big Bend

Cable Mountain offered some interesting history. Many of the buildings in Springdale and Rockville were built with materials from the East Rim. This old tram was used to move the things into the canyon and saved two or three days worth of time.

“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.”

2010-05-04T22:49:00.004-06:00

We've been keeping busy lately. Today I finished my last day of teaching this semester. I'll get one month off before I go back June 1. I start grad school that same day, and I'm excited. Thank goodness for Amazon, turning a $50 book into .25 cents and a $95 book into a $10 once. Jason's work has been busy. They're expecting an audit from Medicare. Our cat has also been sick. We decided it wasn't natural for a cat to be throwing up every day, and she's going in for her second vet visit tomorrow. I highly recommend Dr. King with Washington Family Vet.

We've been camping twice now this year: out by Gunlock and Pine Valley. Next week we're hiking the East Rim of Zion then spending some time in Springdale with friends. Here are some raw, unphotoshopped pics to show our adventures. Next I'll have to post pics of my raw, neglected house, also proof of our adventures.

Jason turns 28 Monday. Wish him happy birthday. :)

"One touch of nature makes the whole world kin." Shakespeare

2010-04-04T20:38:00.010-06:00

We love to camp, and after a long winter, we went out near Gunlock for several adventures. We experienced everything: rattlesnakes, golden eagles, trilobites, pictographs, arrowheads, hoodoos, slot canyons, four-wheeling, and great food and weather. We love St. George!

Our first day out, we went hiking for several hours, and I found an arrowhead in a dry stream bed. At first I didn't believe Jason when he told me it was a real one, but he showed me the notch in the side and the line going down the length of it. I spent the rest of the trip trying to find another one. Jason also found what we think is the imprint of a trilobite.

This is a time-lapsed photo Jason set up. It went for 8 seconds

Day two we found horizontal pictographs. These were worn down by weather, so they weren't perfectly preserved like some of the other ones we've seen. This day we also encountered a couple of rattlesnakes. We were up on a ledge in a slot canyon, following someone's marker, when I saw the snakes. I froze and called out to Jason. I've never been so frighten of a snake before. The one had his rattle going. We went back later and Jason got some good pictures. He counted six pieces to the rattle: a couple-year-old snake.

“And the turtles, of course... All the turtles are free--as turtles, and maybe, all creatures should be.” Yertle the Turtle

2010-03-07T07:15:00.005-07:00

This is what the weather looks like today. Jason actually took this picture during the Parade of Homes from a yard in one of the houses--nice view. It rained last night and the forecast says I shouldn't wash my car until Wednesday.

We've been taking advantage of the warm weather, and the other day we went hiking at the turtle preserve. I still haven't seen a turtle. I want to take my bike back there, so I can cover more distance. See that white mountain in the background? One of the trails goes to the base of that.

The Montero did a good job getting us back to the Preserve. We even got to use the locker. The city has the land gated off so only authorized vehicles can go back there. We parked at the gate and hiked in.

"And where two raging fires meet together, they do consume the thing that feeds their fury." Shakespeare

2010-02-15T07:51:00.008-07:00

It's been a long week. Last weekend, Jason's family lost their grandma, so we went to Salt Lake for the funeral. We left Friday night and drove home Sunday. The funeral was nice; the weather was bad. On our way home, just ten minutes outside of Nephi, it started snowing! I was happy to return to St. George where I planted flowers in the 60 degree weather.

On Monday, we had work done on our dryer, and on Tuesday when I went to use the dryer, it went up in flames. I was finishing my brunch of Asparagus and half-listening to Dr. Oz when I decided it was time to change my laundry loads. When I went into the hall, I smelled electrical fire and could see flames inside the dryer and all over the closet. Why me? Why now? I grabbed the fire extinguisher and emptied it then I called 911. They told me to get out of the house. Outside was raining, so I stood out there in my socks and t-shirt until the fire department arrived.

The firefighters carried my dryer out into the yard, put my cat in the closet (the other one was under the bed), handed me shoes and a sweatshirt through the window, and set up huge fans to get rid of the smoke. I cried the whole time. As it turned out, I'd put the fire out before they even got there (but didn't know it). The fire must have looked worse than it was because of the reflection on the back of the dryer. I was impressed with the fire extinguisher, and I'm sure we'll be cleaning up dust from it months from now.

Thank goodness for all of the supportive people. One of my colleagues got my classes covered then showed up to see if I was okay. She washed my cat dishes out, so my cats could have fresh food and water. Jason had two nurses from his work stop by too. My neighbor took me shopping to replace some of our damaged goods, and my secretary came by that night.

I'm thankful to the firefighters. They were at my place in less than five minutes, (yes, I know I live on the same road as the fire department) and they were really careful about my flowers on the front porch.

For Valentine's Day, we celebrated on Saturday because we both worked Sunday. I made red potatoes, a plain salad, and heart-shaped pasta with shrimp. My sauce for the pasta didn't turn out the way I had imagined. Better luck next year.

"I understand about indecision, but I don't care if I get behind. People livin' in competition; all I want is to have my peace of mind. "

2010-01-21T08:33:00.004-07:00

2010 started off brilliantly for us. Jason wanted to get back into home health care and had two job offers. He accepted a position with a local company called Zion's Way. He'll also be working PRN with Kindred.

With the new job, Jason will be driving to patients' homes, so we decided to invest in a GPS (pawn shop special) and a third vehicle. (Not that I doubt my little Corolla, but it's half-way through its life and about to roll over to 176000 miles. Go car go!) Jason's been wanting another four-wheel drive since he sold the 4Runner so he can do this:

Okay, so maybe not that. We're not really the thrill-seeking type. Our Montero will be green.

I got accepted into an online Master's program through Northern Arizona University (NAU). I'll major in English with an emphasis in Literacy, Technology, and Professional Writing. This makes me eligable to teach a wider variety of classes at DSC.

Teaching this semester has gone really well so far. For some reason, the spring semester seems to attract a different bunch of students. I've been with Dixie for a year--on my fourth semester--so maybe part of that is experience. I made a couple of changes during the first week of class and that made a lot of difference. The students seem more comfortable and test scores are higher.

Anyway, we're starting our New Year's goals and loving life. We hope all is well with our family and friends. Life is good!

Christmas in Cali

2010-01-02T10:00:00.008-07:00

For Christmas this year we went to California. The first two days we spent in Newport then we went to Mt. Baldy. For some reason, our camera didn't want to take pictures, so some are a little blurry.

Jason, Kim, John, Nan, Lisa, Art

Jason, Kim, Aimee, John

Steven, Brittany, Jason, Kim, Cian, Olivia

Eat, Drink, and be Scary

2009-11-04T09:39:00.003-07:00

"They will see us waving from such great heights." Postal Service

2009-10-18T21:35:00.006-06:00

We hiked the West Rim of Zion on Friday and Saturday. It was a fifteen mile trip and absolutely worth every sore muscle. Southern Utah is so beautiful and we feel lucky to have seen what we did. Next year East Rim, Kolob Arch, and Havisupai are on our backpacking list.

2009-10-04T12:08:00.002-06:00

Next week we're hiking the West Rim of Zion: fifteen miles, two days backpacking, beautiful views, and nice weather. I can't wait. I decided to buy a new backpack for this trip since the other one I have is made for a man and a no-name brand. My new one is a Kelty Coyote 4500, my birthday present. I'm so excited to get it! If anyone wants to come, let us know.

Also, I want to clarify. The name of our blog is Jason and Kim. Jason uses the blog too even though I publish most of our posts. Feel free to comment him :)

Everfall

2009-09-30T12:47:00.010-06:00

We went for a drive a couple days ago: started in Virgin, went through Cedar, came back to St. George. Since the leaves don't change in St. George we felt we needed to get higher up to see the colors this year.

One llama had his entire head and neck in our car. I've never seen llamas so friendly. When I went to get the camera out of the trunk, they came running over to me. When I jumped back into the car, one shoved his head through my open window. I rolled it up so he wouldn't come in too far.

"A project is complete when it starts working for you, rather than you working for it." Scott Allen

2009-09-23T19:38:00.005-06:00

Well, we're still not done with the finishing touches of our home project, but I'm eager to show everyone what we've done. It took us a week to get to this point. Basically we just have to add a few loving touches. The three "before" pictures are from when we first moved in, so they're a little older.

2009-09-09T13:11:00.002-06:00

This is Jason... I dont usually put stuff on this but I am today- I finally got to record a song with Kim singing. She came up one night and was like " I want to sing- I feel bad I've never done this with you" so we stayed up all night recording a cover of Joan Osborne's "One of us"- Hope you all check it out and enjoy. I posted a new song of mine called "Hail to the thief"

Life is good!

2009-08-07T21:25:00.002-06:00

We haven't done much lately. I cut my hair today while Jason worked on a computer. We're enjoying the warm weather. At midnight the other night it was 90 degrees, so you can imagine what it gets to during the day. The other day, we hiked the Narrows with some friends, and after looking at the map, I decided we did about eight miles. I only got chest-deep in water, but my short friend was swimming in some places. The boys managed to get wet all over. It was so much fun!

"Inside all of us is a wild thing."

2009-08-04T10:39:00.004-06:00

"Love is the thing that enables a woman to sing while she mops up the floor after her husband has walked across it in his barn boots." Hoosier Farmer

2009-07-21T17:08:00.007-06:00

Last Friday we left for Joe's Valley to meet for a family reunion on Jason's side. We borrowed a friend's truck because we didn't want to take our car over the mountain (low clearance and no four-wheel drive). Near our destination, the brakes went out, so Jason pulled over and called a tow truck to go back to Ephraim. We're grateful it was Jason driving and not our friend's eighteen-year-old daughter. AAA covered the tow.

My brother-in-law took me to the campsite to set up (Thanks Ben!) The tent went up fast, but we didn't get to see Jason until almost one in the morning. He had to go through Fairiview and Skyline Drive on paved roads for the Lexus.

We had a great time and on Sunday night went to set our tent up at Skyline for my family reunion, which starts for us on Wednesday.

Monday night we celebrated our second-year anniversery. We stayed in a little bed and breakfast in Manti. I haven't felt so relaxed and at-ease since we moved away from Ephraim. We ache to go back, especially after visiting friends. Today, we drove back to St. George for work stuff and tomorrow we drive back to Fairview for my reunion. We've been driving lots but it's been well-worth it.

Yardley Inn and Spa

Cliff Dwellers

2009-05-20T18:34:00.005-06:00

In the desert, things find a way to survive. Secrets are like this too. They push their way up through the sands of deception so people can know them.

2009-05-16T11:49:00.014-06:00

Jason says I have to post a lot of pictures on this one, so here we go. Last Friday I hiked The Subway with my friend Elaina. From start to finish, it took us nine hours. We had a blast and got very lucky in running into people who made things easier (the repelling). I wore my wedding ring on this trip because I never take it off. For some of you who know, I lost my mom's ring when I was little, so mine stays on at all times. For this trip, I learned the hard way. My ring is in the shop until the end of the month. They have to replace the crown that holds the main diamond. I fractured one of the side diamonds too, but, at the jeweler's recommendation, we'll probably just leave that one until it breaks and falls out.

This hike was very intense. I brought a wetsuit and was still cold. We got to see amazing things from dinosaur footprints to the actual subway part. While I did this hike, Jason did another intense hike in Zion. We're both glad we made it safely home to each other.

Two days later, we started a backpacking trip in Cedar Mesa. We hiked Mule Canyon and saw eight ruins. Our cameras were out the first two days, so I'll post pics of that hike later. After our two-day backpacking trip, we stopped by some restored ruins near Mule Canyon and some other ruins called Butler Wash before returning to civilization and getting a hotel room. The third day we hiked to the Citadel, and the last day, we hiked to Fallen Roof. There were signs of cows everywhere, but we didn't see a single one. Finding a good spot to filter water was tricky.

Coming home was a welcome relief. I got excited when I could see the West Temple of Zion again because it's visible from our house. Our cats missed us.

"I said 'hey babe! let's take a walk on the wild side.'"

2009-04-21T17:05:00.006-06:00

Okay, we finally got around to some of our household projects. Here are the pictures as promised. My handy sewing machine mechanic (or husband) got the sewing machine running. I'm not through yet; the project isn't quite to my liking. For the last pic, we found the cat sleeping that way. She likes to live on the wild side.

"Remember the woods were God's first temples." Ernest Hemingway

2009-04-12T18:06:00.005-06:00

This weekend we went camping at Kodachrome, visited Bryce, and saw part of Grand Staircase (see the picture with the double-arch). It rained, it hailed, it snowed. We loved it! The company was great. We went with Jason's brother's in-laws.

Sorry to those who've been waiting for the domestic photos. We haven't been home. I'm working on a few to put up. I only have three days left to teach this semester, so I should be able to get a lot done. The other day, I bought an old sewing machine for $5 that folds into a desk. That will be my next project along with taking pictures of the car.

The weather in St. George is beautiful, and returning home was a welcome relief after the cold at Bryce. Overall, our Easter weekend was wonderful. We hope everyone else had a happy Easter!

Angel's Landing

2009-04-06T11:54:00.005-06:00

So, we got to hike Angel's Landing for the first time. We loved it and look forward to using our Zion Pass lots this year. If anyone wants to come along, let us know. We have many fun adventures when we go out!

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view." Edgar Abbey

2009-03-21T19:52:00.006-06:00

For Spring Break, we went to Snow Canyon and did some hiking. The weather was beautiful! We explored two lava tubes (almost three because I was on top of the third big one and thought it was a dead end--oh well, another day). I love exploring these caves, but they scare the crap out of me. I always imagine being flattened in an earthquake or disturbing some creature. We saw several critters along the way. Jason's favorite was the golden marmot; mine were the lizards.

For one day this week, I finished an old coffee table I picked up at DI for $12 while Jason made a garden. We got a lot done around the house. Going back to work will be hard.

"Doubtless God could have made a better berry than the strawberry but doubtless, God never did." William Allen Butler

2009-02-25T14:06:00.007-07:00

Jason got accepted into Central Staffing with IHC. He gets to experience the whole hospital as a float nurse. The bonuses: it's a good resume builder, it doesn't come with the awful hospital politics, and it has a lot of cool people. We're excited about this new opportunity.

We planted our flowers, strawberries, and herbs the other day. For a while we were bringing the strawberries inside at night because it was still too cold for them. My cats decided they liked strawberry plants so I'm missing a few leaves. Notice the blossom!

Last night, my cat also decided she liked pizza. I made a pizza late at night and was too tired to clean it up when I was done. In the morning I found the empty plate and wondered how I'd managed to eat it all. Crazy cat! She's on a diet, so she takes what she can get. It's no wonder she hasn't lost any weight with all the people leftovers. I noticed the same thing with my blueberry pancakes a week or so ago.

When all eyes are on you, wink.

2009-02-11T08:32:00.009-07:00

Jason passed the NCLEX! We're so excited. This means he's a real nurse (yeah, he was a nurse before, but now he's an RN). This also means we won't need to drive back to Vegas, even though our stay was nice. We got a suite at the Luxor and really enjoyed it. My only complaint was the strange allergy I had to the room, but this is common for hotels. I woke Jason up at midnight with my coughing, so he didn't have the most restful night before the big test. Next time, we know to bring the Benedryl. For lunch the next day, we tried to go to our favorite restaurant, Carrabbas, even drove across town, to find it didn't open until 4. I'm still craving their food and wish we had one in St. George.

Planting season is here. We're so stoked. I went out a bought a strawberry planter--very funny/cool looking--imagine a clay pot with little balconies sticking out. I'm so excited to grow my own strawberries. Jason wants a little herb garden, (no, not that type of herb) so when he cooks, he can get what he needs from the yard.

The other day, I had a student try to guess my age. He guessed 26. I think a snowball has a greater chance in Hell than me telling them how old I am. Speaking of 26, though, Jason will only be 26 for a few more months and I'm trying to figure out something clever to get him. Guys are so hard to shop for, and V-day sucked up my good ideas. If anyone can think of something, let me know.

"Dreams, they cannot die. They may be forgotten for a moment only to be remembered in the worst of times." Jason

2009-01-29T16:12:00.008-07:00

We are boring and haven't done much lately. Both of us have been sick, and for me, it's been three weeks. Right now, I'm looking into various Master's programs, trying to find one I can finish in three semesters, bam, bam bam, done! Northern Arizona University looks promising for that. Utah State looks promising for a four-semester schedule, but I hear they haven't been very receptive to DSC alumni. If anyone has any ideas for a Master's in English, let me know. I'd prefer to have an emphasis in Professional and Technical Writing, but I'll take what I can get.

Jason is half-way through his work schedule this week and sound asleep right now. He does four twelves in a row, all night shifts! He'll get four days off but goes back for two more shifts. Then we're going to Vegas so he can take his RN test. No rest for the weary. We haven't been to Vegas since Jason took the LPN test, so I'm kind of excited.

Funny story, the other day Devon took me and Jason to In N Out. We got shakes, and as many of you may know, In N Out makes their shakes too thick for those little straws. Without thinking, I spouted off how mine was "too hard to suck." The little old man sitting next to me got a chuckle out of it. I felt so embarrassed and finished my shake with a spoon.

"I am not going to get up today." Dr. Suess

2009-01-11T13:23:00.004-07:00

So, my first week of class went by without much conflict. Although, the second morning I woke up sick to my stomach (I promise I'm not pregnant; Jason got sick too). I really sympathize with the teachers I've had who've come to school sick. On the second day of class, I couldn't afford to call in sick; my classes would've gotten behind.

Also, my car got hit again the other day! I was in neutral waiting to turn right when an old man bumped me from behind. With as hard as it hit, I thought there would have been some damage, but it was all good. I left some red paint on his white car. It scared me more than anything else. This is the second time in the last couple months. Maybe I'm looking into this too deep, but my car was a miracle car given to me by a student graduating college, and I don't feel that it will last me now that I'm done with school. I guess I better enroll in a Master's program soon!

Anyway, I'm still recovering from what Jason calls "gomboo." I think this means warm blankets and movies are coming my way...along with pills and Gatorade given by my handy nurse.

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer." --Their Eyes Were Watching God

2009-01-06T15:18:00.005-07:00

Six days into the new year and already we're trying to figure out how this will unfold. Somewhere we need to find a balance between work and play, and I'm sure if the weather was good enough, we'd want to tip the scale in favor of playing out at Zions.

Today I taught my first classes (I have three). Jason helped me wake up and scraped the frost off my car. Frost in St. George! He starts his new residency program with IHC next week. We're thankful that we both have work even though I want another part-time job to fill my time.

There are so many things I feel like I should do now that I'm done with school: read what I want, write what I want, play my flute, go to the gym more often, visit the Grand Canyon, camp more, explore the rest of Zions. The possibilities are endless!