Summer of A Thousand Vacations: Act II - Arches

Over Labor Day weekend we arranged some camp sites in Arches National Forest, and invited several family members to attend. We had quite a turn out with my parents, sisters, suedo brother-in-law, Matt's brother, girlfriend, and old mission companion. Our total was about 30 people. It is always so much fun to get together with family.


We camped in Arches at Devils Campground. It turned out to be fun. We were surrounded by large rocks that we very pretty. We arrived Thursday night along with my sisters Pam and Kristin and Kristin's mission comp. The next morning after breakfast, Matt said he would be back because he was going to explore/climb the rocks. I chuckled at this because it is always fun to see his boyhood come out.


Among other things we did were hiking the delicate arch, swimming in the river, roasted marshmallows, and survive the heat, rain, and wind. If you have never been, you should try to make it some time.






As we were packing up, preparing, and planning to go to Arches, I was thinking to myself, this is a lot of work and it is just Matt and I. Think about my sister with her 5 kids. Then we arrived and talking with the adults and watching the little children run and play, climb in the rocks and dig in the sand, you realize that the work is all worth it.


Matt and Carli

Paige with Kanobee













Cale





Debbie and Cale

Summer of A Thousand Vacations: Act I - Idaho

As our first summer in Denver drew to a close, Debbie & I found ourselves in the middle of a whirlwind tour of America. It seems that everything that we had to do all summer was scheduled in a 5 week window in late August and early September.

Our first destination, Idaho. Debbie's Maid-of Honor, Angela, was herself getting married. So we loaded up the car and decided to head over after work on a Thursday. Because my wife is too cheap to spring for a hotel, we decided to camp in Jackson Hole (or thereabouts) on our way to Idaho Falls. (On a side note, this can at times be a good quality of my wife. At other times it's rather frustrating. This time I'll go with good quality).

Near the place that we stayed, we even had the pleasure of seeing some Buffalo on the side of a road on our way back to the highway.

This was a part of Wyoming that I never knew existed. It was a pleasure to drive through, unlike the god-forsaken wilderness that surrounds most of I-80 through the state.

It was so nice we stopped to take a picture (not too bad for setting it on top of the car and running over to the spot if I do say so myself).

I think that it was especially fun for Debbie as she got to visit all the places that she got to go to as a child. We stopped and had a square ice cream, visited the place that she went to girls camp and reminisced about all the time that she spent in the mountains between Jackson Hole and Idaho Falls.

This trip also became our de facto anniversary celebration. We stayed at the same hotel that we did when we were married. It was nice to be able to get away from our jobs and enjoy some time where someone else picks up the towels (ok well that was nice for Debbie, cause she does do most of the picking up at the Salt Casa).

And of course there was the wedding. What does a guy really supposed to say about a wedding? Well except that it was very warm to be outside wating for the bride and groom to come out for pictures, it was very nice. Beyond that, I guess I'll let our photos say it for us.

Have and Have nots!

I found this off a friend's blog, Jill, and I thought it might be fun. You should do it too! If you'd like to take up this challenge, simply reprint this list on your blog, and highlight in bold the things your have accomplished.

Have and Have nots!

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hotel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Known CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter