Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Change of Seasons



Well, I was really happy to have my super simple life of ski, ski, ski every day but now that spring has sprung here in Utah (a lot earlier than the East coast I may add), there is a lot to do around the farm!  I'm busy getting areas ready to plant our orchard, raspberries and vegetable garden. I am so excited I think I may jump out of my skin.  More to come with that. 
I giant fish we caught

Posing on the bow

Justin attempting to be pulled behind the wimpy dinghy on a paddle board

One of many critters I dragged up from the bottom of the sea

Also, I've been asked to do a nutrition booth at the BYU Women's Conference and I got some friends to help me and we're really going full force with our nutrition ideas.  It's basically what has been known as "alternative" nutrition which is actually becoming a little more mainstream these days.  If any of you want to know what I'm talking about and want to know how to actually eat healthfully and avoid the health problems and cancer plaguing our country even though everyone is supposedly on the "recommended" diet, then you can go to the BYU Women's Conference 2013 website and find our booth title "Got Real Food" and look at our handouts.  They're a lot easier to read than the giant books we have been reading to put them together in the most condensed format for your convenience.  Or, you can come to the conference May 2-3 and visit us there!
The Captain and crew: Me, Erik and Emily Orton, Heidi and Paul Clark, York and Jane Young and Justin

The beautifully developed island of Virgin Gorda.  Every island was different and this one was the fanciest for sure

Playing around with the camera again.  I love the moon in this shot

Perfect beach

We've been traveling a lot lately as well. Justin and I went on an epic sailing trip for our 10th anniversary to the British Virgin Islands for a whole entire week after Henry's Birthday. I couldn't believe how relaxed a person could be!  I kept thinking every morning that I couldn't believe I had more days left because after three days I was good to go home.  I scuba dived for the first time ever and was in heaven at the bottom of the ocean.  I always say I was a mermaid in my former life.  I really love being underwater. 
Some interesting shells and coral I collected for the kids

Our catamaran, the Catatonic

We also traveled to Chicago with Henry for a weekend to visit the Chou family and let Henry play with Wee-o while the dads went to the AAOS meeting (orthopaedic surgeons).  It was fun to see some of our old friends and to explore Chicago.  It was really freezing there, but they make up for the weather by having some of the best museums I have ever been to and the best restaurant I have ever eaten at.  Justin and I went to Alinea, which is a 3 Michelin star rated restaurant and the food and presentation were more amazing than I can even describe. What a wonderful meal.

At the top of Willis Tower(formerly Sears Tower)
This past weekend we went camping in San Rafael Swell with some of our great friends here in our new ward and we explored two slot canyons, Ding and Dang (don't forget Ding Dang Dome in the middle) while we lowered 12 children down 10 food drops into freezing cold red muddy water for 7 hours.  It was an epic adventure that I may never do again unless I'm not with children.  I am Ding Dang Done with that slot canyon! That was pretty much nuts.  We saw some awesome Native American pictographs on the canyon walls which we were amazed by.
Amazing layers of rock at San Rafael Swell
Three of the cutest girls in the world! Clementine, Bea and our friend Emma Stapel

View from our campsite

Clementine holding her lizzard.  She loves this thing!

Vivi hiking through a goblin at Goblin Valley

Can't really tell what the artist was trying to depict with this super long arm.  Any guesses?

How cool are these? We got to get up really close to these pictographs which are just about the oldest things in our country