garden variety

One of my favorite things of late summer/early fall has to be our garden. The planting, watering, and weeding is all worth it when I can go collect a jackpot like this. And don't think it's going to waste- I've already made zucchini bread, chocolate zucchini cake, homemade pizzas with tomatoes and basil, baked squash fries, fresh BLT's, and bruschetta. Oh how I will miss this come the middle of winter. But I just may have something else keeping me busy then...

on the deck

One of my favorite parts of summer is spending time on my parents' deck in the evenings. You can always find lots of shade, laughter, and homemade ice cream.

Besides her own home, Lillian gets more love here than any place else. From 3 to 83, family of all ages are constantly wanting to hold her, and Lillian eats up every second of it.

The double-fist maneuver has been perfected. Those two thumbs have helped FOUR teeth break through, with the help of a lot of drool. When I see those teeth I think of two things: 1) she's growing up so fast! and 2) thank heavens I'm not breastfeeding.

Spudman

1/2 mile swim + 33 mile bike + 10K run + no training = Dave's amazing race! He did incredibly well!

The weekend was amazing, with a special thanks to Annie for the transportation and conversation and to Tiffany and her family for letting us stay with them and making all sorts of delicious food for us. If you think Idaho is boring, you haven't stayed with the Duncan's!

Independence Day

Deer Valley... I think we'll spend the weekend there...

You may have to zoom in to see the fish I caught (with a little help from Dave). Yes, it's a team effort to catch a fish that size.

And this little angel? Couldn't have been better. She slept wonderfully, ate a cold bottle when times were desperate, and didn't even flinch at the fireworks. She's just like her mom: sleeps in on vacation and loves the 4th of July.

I could eat these two up.

Waiting for the fireworks...

Happy 4th of July!!

st. george

one of the best part of vacations: nap time.

Lillian is really going to have some stiff competition when she wants play time with her daddy!

It finally felt like summertime!

rockin' the suburbs

Ben Folds + Utah Symphony + Deer Valley + 2 days before my birthday= favorite concert. Ever. If only it would have lasted 12 hours instead of 2!

peas please

peas: one of the first of the summer vegetables. bright green, crisp, delicious. but what to do with pounds and pounds of them? suggestions would be appreciated...

producing produce

One of the best things about working 3 12-hour shifts in a row is waking up the next morning only to find that Mother Nature has been hard at work herself. This is just a sampling of what I found one morning last week. Don't even get me started on the 50+ tomatoes I picked yesterday. I guess I better stock up on tortilla chips because I can smell some salsa coming any day now...

#3...meant to be!

Dave and I celebrated our third anniversary last month by dining at La Caille. I had never been there before, but we had some gift certificates to spend (thanks to the best neighbors ever) so we decided to indulge. And indulge we did! Everything was perfect- the food, the surroundings, the music, the lighting, and of course the company. Except for the swan biting Dave's thumb, we couldn't have asked for a better night.

I love the way Dave makes me happier than anything or anyone else in this world. In these short 3 years, I feel like we've already experienced so much together. I've learned that I never know what life has in store- I'm just glad Dave and I will be side by side through it all. Here's to a successful and joyous year ahead!

Flaming Gorge

Anyone that has ever been to Flaming Gorge knows how absolutely beautiful it is. I had never experienced its splendor until last month when we made a trip up there with Bob & Peg and their friends.

We loved the wakeboarding, waterskiing, tubing, and swimming mixed in with some naps, sunbathing, and time to delve into a page-turning novel.

The mountains surrounding us were a mix between desert red rock and green forest hills, with serene glass-like water in between. We had such a great time, we wish we could have extended the 3 days into many, many more!

stars and stripes forever

There's just something about the 4th and 24th of July that make them 2 of my very favorite holidays. I love being outside, the warm weather, the smell of the BBQ in the backyard, and the brightly colored fireworks that light up the sky at night. It's so nice to spend the day with family and friends without the stress that often accompanies other major holidays. Plus, I've always considered myself an exceptionally patriotic person and I love singing as many patriotic songs as I can think of. Here's a look at some of the holiday highlights:


3 cheers for the red, white, and blue...


s'more smores please!

I love being able to celebrate Alana's birthday and the Pioneers on the same day! Talk about a winning combo!

The Happiest Place on Earth

While in California, we met up with Dave's family in Disneyland! Now you haven't really experienced Disneyland if you haven't gone with Todd and Allyson Bushman. Todd majored in statistics, so let's just say he knows how to work it. We were on about 50 rides a day, with no wait time longer than 10 minutes. We had 4 non-stop, action-packed, fun-filled days. Here's an average day in the life of a Disneyland Fan...

6:45 am- cut in line with Todd who has already been there for 30 minutes. Receive "Honorary Citizen of Disneyland" pins. Open the park with the workers by jumping up and down, counting down 10..9..8.. and shouting "Let the magic begin!"
7:01-9:58: Peter Pan, Dumbo, Small World, Matterhorn, Space Mountain, Storybook Land, Teacups, Alice in Wonderland, Buzz Lightyear. No bathroom breaks. Todd gets fast-passes to big-ticket rides.9:59-11:17: Breakfast in the Park for Tanner's 5th birthday. See such stars as Minnie, Chip and Dale, Tigger, Alice and the Mad Hatter, and Captain Hook. All the girls are in their matching Minnie shirts, of course. Enjoy mickey-shaped waffles and all-you-can-drink chocolate milk.

11:17-1:42: Catch rides on Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Listen to all the birds in the Tiki Room.
1:43-3:08: Head back to the Grand Californian Hotel to catch a nap and get our second wind.

3:09-5:51: Explore California Adventure. Jump on Soarin' Over California, Tower of Terror, California Screamin', Toy Story Mania, Orange Swingers, Mali-boomer, and Bear River Rapids. Tour the Mission Tortilla Factory and the Boudin Sourdough Bread Factory.
5:52-6:01: Get a churro (or two.) Catch your breath.
6:02-8:44: Catch our second round of rides in Disneyland.

8:45-9:24: Wait for the sun to set so that fireworks can start. Contemplate the awesome day we've had and tell Todd and Allyson thank you a million times over for making this possible! Look at Sleeping Beauty's castle and wonder if Mr. Walt Disney himself ever knew what an impact he would have on kids and adults around the world.

9:25-9:47: Enjoy the firework show, complete with a flying Dumbo and soaring Tinkerbell.

9:48: Head back to the hotel. Order pizza to the room, zonk out, and dream of another magical day in store for tomorrow!

H&D with L&B in CAf

Absence makes the heart grow fonder... that's what we discovered after visiting Lauren and Bridger at their new home in Pasadena. We had probably our best weekend of 2009 hanging out with our friends whom we've missed so much!! We made up for lost time by going to Zuma Beach, taking in the smells and tastes of South Pasadena's Farmer's Market, touring the Getty Villa Museum, shopping along 3rd Street Promenade, feasting on Yogurtland, and indulging in hour-long foot massages. How sweet it is to laugh, talk, and relax with such great friends.
All our activities deserve a blog-post of their own, but I'll try to restrain myself. There is something about a good vacation that rejuvenates the soul. Maybe it's the cool ocean breeze. Maybe it's partaking of delicious food with no guilt involved. Maybe it's catching up on sleep and spending time together. Whatever it is, it was just what the doctor ordered! Thanks to the Jensen's for an all-out amazing weekend!

my kind of weekend

My kind of weekend is LONG. and SUNNY. and spent with loved ones.

good food, lots of sleep, and an interesting page-turner make a good weekend even better. not to mention some Iron Chef America, morning walks, and lying by the pool.

And to top it all off, look who decided to join us- not just for the weekend, but the whole summer!

July, July

July has to be my favorite month of the entire year. The entire month should be considered a holiday. I wish it lasted 90 days. I can't think of anything I don't like about it! Some highlights of the month for me include Independence Day, fireworks, cold watermelon, waterslides, homemade ice cream, birthday parties, boating, growing a garden, hiking, Pioneer Day, gelato, the sound of sprinklers, air-conditioned movie theaters, farmers market, and much, much more.